Black Dawn
by Mirloc
Summary: (Take 2) Sorry the original Black Dawn got really messed up, this one's fixed. Promise. :) COMPLETE (Corrected Layout Issues)
1. Prolog

**Black Dawn – Book 1 (War, Peace, and Ghosts of the Past)**

****

**_Prolog_**

            I look at the smooth, polished rock face of the monument. It has been fifty years since a hand touched the rock, fifty years since the carvings were done. Fifty years since it all happened.

            My mind wanders as it always does when we come here. The faces of the past, the hopes, the dreams, the graves. If I turn just so, I can't see the rows of small white stones in even rows that are laid out before the monument. Each witch or wizard buried in the grave has a spot on the monument. 

            But perhaps here is not the place to start. Perhaps the place to start would be, well... The beginning, yes, that's a good place to begin, June. I remember the summer so well. Harry had just returned with the body of Cedric Diggory, and I was there for him. He didn't know it of course, but I was there for him. I am sure he felt my presence even then. My heart broke for him, standing there with Cedric in his arms. Harry Potter was the master of my heart then even. 

            I was there when he talked to Dumbledore and that blind bastard Fudge, I was there when he broke down and my arms were the ones to surround him, my shoulder was wet with his tears, my voice comforted him. My heart melted for him, broke for him, and fused iron-hard for him, giving him something solid to regain his balance. I was rewarded that night with the burden of all that was Harry Potter. I learned everything that night. There were no more secrets between either of us. We spilled out our secrets, dreams, and desires and we acted on them. 

            Do you hate me for this? I don't care. You weren't there. You didn't see what I saw, hear what I heard, and dammit, you didn't feel what I felt. I was there for him while you were at home having a warm meal. Your pathetic excuses for "honor" mean less to him than they mean to me, and I could give; now how did that American say it? "Two squirts of cold rat piss." Yes, that's it. That's how we felt about the titles, the honors, the ceremonies.

            Well, I guess some of us are still bitter. And we have every right. We fought your damn war. We made Voldemort's victories empty, and his defeat final. We did what was needed; you sat on your fat asses reading about us. 

            I would like to apologize to any of the Companions who read this. You know, you were there. But you never learned it all. Now it's time for the whole story to come out. As I pen this, Harry and I are leaving. Some of the Companions are staying behind, some are coming with us. We are dangerous, we are deadly, and now you don't want us around. We can't work beside you, we can't live in your neighborhoods, and we can't shop in your stores. Well, a well-earned fuck you to all of you. We are leaving for a place that you will never find us. _Never._  

_Ginny Weasley-Potter - Companion_


	2. Chapter 1

**_Chapter 1_**

            It had been four days since Harry returned from the resurrection of Voldemort. She had been watching Harry; no one had even known she was there. She had listened to him when he slept. 

Everyone finally cleared out of the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey checked over Harry one last time, and retired to her room. Ginny watched all this from her spot in the shadows. Harry rolled over and soft sobs escaped from him. She moved forward slowly, her heart shattered watching him collapse in front of her. She screwed up her resolve and touched his hand.

            "G..Ginny?" his eyes were wet, tears still falling from those lovely emerald eyes. "Wh… What are you doing here?"

            "Comforting you." Was all she had to say. His head fell to her shoulder, his tears soaked her robes. His sobs wracked his body. How long they stayed like that neither of them could say, not then, not years later. 

            Ginny slid onto the bed, her forehead resting against his. They talked until dawn, tears shed regularly from each pair of eyes. They emptied their souls, and filled from each other's emotions, and from each others souls. At some point during the night, their lips met for the first time, it made Ginny feel complete, it made Harry feel like the world was more in control, less in the hands of Voldemort. His heart fused with hers, and by day break they had become of one soul. 

            Dumbledore opened the door to the hospital wing to see the two embracing lovingly, and was shocked to see how they looked as if great healing had taken place in both of them. He cleared his throat and moved closer. They turned to him, neither embarrassed, neither wavering in voice or eye contact.

            "Well, I see you are looking better Mr. Potter, and Ms. Weasley." He noted; a warm, knowing smile and winked at the two of them. "However, I think it would be most prudent for you two to place a bit more space between you two before the rest of Harry's well-wishers come to see him." 

            "Professor, I'd prefer it if…" Harry's eyes could not seem to want to leave Ginny, but they flicked to Dumbledore's face occasionally. "I'd prefer it if Ginny could stay."

            "How much does she know Harry?" His voice was gentle, but a worried undertone was there. 

            "She knows everything I know Professor. I told her everything." Harry's grasp on her hand had not lessened. "And I will continue to tell her everything." The determination in his voice was echoed in his eyes. Ginny was shocked to see the fire there. 

            "Very well Harry." Dumbledore stated finally. "Very well."

            He summoned a chair beside the bed, and they were sitting there talking when Ron and Hermione burst into the room. "Professor Dumbledore" they shouted almost as one. "Ginny is…." 

            "Right here" Dumbledore finished for them. "She has been here all night if I guess properly by your reaction of not seeing here since last night."

            The two friends stood gaping at Harry and Ginny. "Well, now that you four are here." He stood and the chair vanished. "You should all come with me now."

            He headed for the door. The four followed him out and into the halls of Hogwarts. They continued through corridors until they were standing at the entrance to Dumbledore's office. They went up the staircase to the office. 

Sirius was the first to note them, and he rushed to Harry, worry evident in his eyes and his face. They talked in whispers for a minute, Ginny listening, and interjecting occasionally. Ron looked at Ginny, something was different, not just the obvious lack of distance, and physical contact, but something in her demeanor. She looked, older, and far more confident. 

"Ginny, can I have a word?" Ron asked.

She turned her head. "Not now Ron." 

Dumbledore took a seat at his desk. "I hate to rush things Sirius, but we must talk now."

Sirius stood and moved to a chair near the fire, Harry and Ginny occupied a chair near him. Ron and Hermione sat next to them, and then they took notice of the rest of the occupants of the room. 

"Mrs. Figg!" Harry said with a start. "Wha.."

"Arabella was one of the protections you had at Privet Drive Harry. She's an Auror Harry." Harry paled.

"I - I'm sorry Mrs. Figg." He said finally. 

"For what dear boy?" she asked. A look of confusion slid over her eyes.

"For not doing this sooner." He moved to her, and hugged her. Harry held her close for a moment, while Ginny stayed at his side. 

Arabella Figg stood there amazed and a tear slid from her eye. "Harry, you have nothing to be sorry for dear. I knew what I was doing then, don't worry dear."

The door to the office opened again. Two more people entered, one was Severous Snape, the other much to Harry's dismay, was Amos Diggory. 

"Well, if it isn't Potter's fan club." Snape quipped. 

"Snape you loathsome git, back off of Harry, and his friends or I'll make you pay dearly." Black glared at Snape. Severous quelled for a moment, but regained his composure. 

"My apologies then, _Mr. Potter_." He sat in a chair close to Dumbledore's desk. "Can we get on with this Headmaster?"

Two hours later, Harry could tell things were far worse outside Hogwarts then they had been led to believe. The conversation droned on and on, and a lot of questions were asked of Harry, surprising not only herself, but everyone else other than Harry, Ginny answered a fair number of the questions. 

Once the meeting was over, Dumbledore asked them all to prepare themselves for the oncoming war. To Harry and his friends he explained that all would have to appear as normal. Harry would need to go back to the Dursley's, at least for a while, much to the vehement objections from the Weasleys and Harry. 

It was time for lives to continue as normal. The students went to the final feast and the now infamous speech by Dumbledore. 

That night, Harry wrote in a small black journal. It contained simply a name and a date. Engraved on the face of the journal was the phrase "You Will Not Be Forgotten". The first page had a single entry:

"You owe the world so much Tom. This book will be a ledger of all the people you murdered while I hunt you down. You will never be allowed to go free of this debt. I will find you and the scum that follow you and extract this debt from your hides. This I promise on the memory of Cedric Diggory. 

Harry James Potter"

**(I'll try not to interject into the story too much. The original journal was lost at some point during the war. It was then that Harry carved the same phrase, and the names into the face of Memorial Rock. It still stands to this day on the grounds of Hogwarts. Every student now passes before it on their way to Hogwarts as they come onto the grounds. – Ginny)**

They separated in King's Cross, Harry looked at his friends. "I'll see you soon. I'll see you as soon as I am able to. As soon as Dumbledore allows it."


	3. Chapter 2

**_Chapter 2_**

            As it turned out Harry was leaving the Dursley's after only a week. An owl arrived he opened the letter. 

_Harry,_

_            It is time for you to leave the Dursley's once and for all. Make sure you leave nothing behind. Not even so much as a quill or scrap of parchment. It must appear as if you have never been there. _

_Albus Dumbledore_

_P.S. You will find enclosed is a portkey that will take you to the Weasleys. Stay with them until you are sent for. You have twelve hours from when you grab the coin the first time until it activates. Molly and Arthur are expecting you. _

            Harry grasped the small coin in his hand and smiled.  He was going home forever. He set his watch alarm for twelve hours, and watched the time begin to count down. Apparently Dudley had received a watch for Christmas, and had unceremoniously dumped it in Harry's room. He didn't care, it worked, and his old one did not. He began to clean his room completely of anything even remotely wizardling.

            Four hours later he began to pace his small room like one of the tigers that had been in the zoo he had visited just before his first year at Hogwarts. He smiled at the memory, and suddenly had a small pang of regret. 

_Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils. "Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge. "Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on._

_"This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away._

_Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself – no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least he got to visit the rest of the house._

_The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry's. _

_It winked._

_Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too._

_ The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly:_

_"I get that all the time._

_"I know," Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying."_

_The snake nodded vigorously._

_"Where do you come from, anyway?" Harry asked._

_The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it._

_Boa Constrictor__, Brazil__._

_"Was it nice there?"_

_The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see -- so you've never been to_

_Brazil__?"_

_As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump._

_"DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"_

_Dudley__ came waddling toward them as fast as he could._

_"Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs. Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor. What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened -- one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror._

_Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits._

_As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come.... Thanksss, amigo."_

He crossed to his door, and opened it heading down stairs where Dudley, Aunt Petunia, and Uncle Vernon were watching something on Television.

            "I'm leaving in a few hours." He stated simply.

            Vernon turned on him. "What?"

            "I'm leaving in a few hours." He repeated, adding "for good this time. I don't reckon I'll return after this." He wasn't sure what he expected, but it wasn't what happened. 

            Vernon stood up, and nodded to Petunia. "I'll get the box then." He headed for the basement, and after a few minutes returned with a cardboard box. Old, and showing it's age. It was sealed with what could only have been spell-o-tape Harry surmised. "This would be yours then."

            Petunia stood and looked at him like she normally did, disdainful at his very existence. "Good by then." 

            Vernon reached out with his hand, and dropped it on Harry's shoulder heavily, his small eyes glaring at Harry. "Who is picking you up then?" he shifted his gaze to the chimney. 

            "No one; I have a p - another way. I'll simply be gone in…" Harry glanced at his watch. "Three hours and forty five minutes." 

            "Make sure you take everything then." Dudley piped up. "I don't want your strange junk lying about in my room anymore."

            Harry smiled to himself _don't worry, I'm not leaving anything._ He thought to himself. 

            He left them to their lives, and entered his room for the last time. He opened the window, fed Hedwig a treat and told her to meet him in the Burrow. He wasn't sure what was in the box, but he thought it best to deal with that later on. For now, he was content to sit in the room watching his watch tick away the minutes. 

            He wasn't sure what caused it, but he was nodding off when he heard a faint beeping that woke him. His eyes snapped open, and seconds later he felt a tug behind his bellybutton, and Privet Drive vanished.

            He blinked, and the Burrow swam into focus. He was sitting in the living room on his trunk, his box and Hedwig's cage balanced on his lap. As he looked around taking in everything, the kitchen door opened, and Molly Weasley opened the door, saw him and bustled to him enveloping Harry in a welcome and warm hug. "Welcome home Harry dear." 

            Harry broke down and cried on Molly's shoulder. It took him several minutes to recover himself, and when he did, he realized that she had been crying too. "Mrs. Weasley, what's wrong?"

            "Nothing Harry, I'm just so glad you are here. We were worried about you, and how long you'd have to stay there." Her eyes were still bright with emotion. 

            "We got you a welcome home present you know." She led him to the clock, and he saw a hand engraved "Harry" on it. It was pointing to "Home". Tears threatened to well up again, but he fought them back. 

            "Oh, and Arthur has added a room for you Harry, we didn't think you'd want to continue sharing a room with Ron. Is this all you have?" She was looking over his meager belongings.

            "Yeah, it's all I own." He felt embarrassed. He had plenty of money, but in fifteen years time, he had collected only enough to barely fill his trunk, not counting the box and Hedwig's cage. 

            "We were planning on doing some shopping tomorrow in Diagon Alley; did you want to come along Harry?" Molly was asking him, but she saw his eyes rivet on something behind her. Her smile increased as she felt a presence behind her.

            "Harry?" Ginny said disbelieving it was him. "You, you're here?"

            "Yeah Ginny, I'm home." The warmth in his eyes and emotions in his tone spoke volumes to Molly Weasley, and even had she not had the talks with Ginny over the years, she would have known then just by seeing them. 

            "Well then, shall I show you to your room then, Mr. Potter?" Ginny asked, smiling.

            "Certainly, Ms. Weasley." Harry said simply. His eyes never leaving Ginny's "I'll be right back Mrs. Weasley." 

            "Don't hurry on my account dear, but wash up, dinner will be ready soon, and those darned muggles never feed you."

            A half hour later, Molly heard Harry and Ginny coming downstairs. They looked no worse for the wear, but both had obviously been crying. Ron and the twins came into the kitchen from outside just as the two of them came in from the living room.

            "Harry!" they said almost in unison.

            The appearance of Percy, and Arthur only added to the joyous atmosphere. _Yes,_ Harry thought to himself, watching the mayhem that was after dinner time in the Burrow _I **am** home._

            Fred and George gave Harry a small box. With great caution, Harry opened the box, to find it empty, curious Harry looked over the edge of the box, peering into it looking for the gift, when with a "poof" the box itself exploded. Harry looked up at the twins, and everyone at the table roared with laughter. Harry looked in a mirror, and saw himself with red hair.

            "Well Harry, if you're going to stay, you should look like one of us." Fred chuckled.

            Harry retained his red hair for only fifteen minutes, and it slowly faded back to black. Ginny leaned over to him. "I think I like it better black Harry." She whispered in his ear. "Messy and red don't go together." Harry smiled at her, and gave her hand a slight squeeze.

            The evening was comfortable, and all too soon Harry's bed was calling to him. He went upstairs to his room, dressed in his pajamas, and slid into his new bed. He'd have to talk to Molly and Arthur tomorrow and discuss his paying them back for all this. 

            His dreams were all pleasant that night. He awoke the next morning as if new life had been granted to him. The smell of breakfast was welcome, and quite a change from his normal routine. He dressed and headed downstairs finding Molly and Ginny sharing tea and talking. They stopped when he entered the room, Ginny looking a bit embarrassed, and Molly positively beaming.

            After breakfast, Harry, Ron, Ginny and Molly headed for Diagon Alley. Fred and George were heading to Hogsmeade to 'scout for a prime location' they claimed. Harry went to Gringots and pulled out several hundred galleons, to ensure he had enough money for not only school supplies, but things for his room.

            As the group prepared to head home after the day shopping, they stopped by the Ministry offices. Harry and Molly went to see Arthur, as he was still underage; they needed to sign some documents making Arthur and Molly his legal guardian. It took no time, and during the process, Harry managed to talk the Weasleys into letting him help out with his food and the cost of his room. To his relief, they graciously accepted his terms. 

            The weeks slid by. Soon it would be time to start school again, and for the first time, Harry was facing the trip to Hogwarts with trepidation. At night he heard all that was going on in the world on the WWN, Arthur would fill in the blanks, but for the most part, they went on ahead.

            Harry and Ginny grew closer by the day. Ron had convinced Hermione's parents to let her stay the last month of holidays at the Burrow, and they too it seemed had decided to act on their feelings. 

            It was soon just three days until they headed for school. The four of them were in the kitchen looking at the Marauder's Map. "So we can see who is where at any time in Hogwarts then?" asked Ginny.

            "Yeah, it's brilliant." Ron stated. 

            They watched the dots scurrying about in the halls and rooms for a while.

            "And the Marauder's were Harry's father, Sirius Black, Professor Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew?" Ginny asked. She noticed the wince from Harry at Peter's name.

            "Yeah, that's right." Harry replied. 

            "Your mum wasn't a Marauder then?" Ginny asked.

            "No. Not, um, 'officially', but from what Remus and Sirius say, she was involved in their mischief enough to have been." Harry said.

            They sat around planning the next year's activities, when the kitchen door swung open. Standing there was Albus Dumbledore. "I trust I find you all in good health and spirits?" he started making his way to the table.

            The four of them looked shocked at the headmaster's rather abrupt appearance, and mild panic crossed their faces.

            He smiled benevolently at them. "I am not the bearer of ill news today. Rather, I have come to make some rather pleasant news. Hermione is to be made Head Girl this year." With that he presented her with her badge. "Ginny is to be Prefect." Again a badge was passed out. "Ron is also a Prefect." A third badge was handed over to Ron. "Finally, Harry is to be Head Boy." 

            The four looked at their badges and then at Dumbledore. "But why did you bring them to us? Why not just owl them?" Harry asked.

            "Because I needed to talk to the four of you in person." He continued. "The badges were just an excuse."

            He went into a fairly broad explanation of the attacks over the summer, and the war that Voldemort was waging on the wizardling world. Fudge was still denying everything, however Dumbledore had solid contact with the people Arthur had recruited in the Ministry. Word was getting out, but few people wanted to hear bad news, they wanted to believe Voldemort was gone for good.

            More plans were made, and finally after three hours of discussion, Dumbledore left. The four of them sat there staring at one another, and the badges Dumbledore had presented to them.

            They helped Molly prepare dinner that night, never straying out of one another's eyesight until sleep forced them into separate rooms. 

            For the first night since moving into the Burrow, Harry had a rough night. After trying to sleep until two in the morning, he got up, and eased his way into the hallway, down the stairs and into the kitchen. Ginny was already there with two cups of hot cocoa.

            "Took you long enough." She smiled at him as he sat next to her.

            "I was trying to sleep, really." He grinned back.

            They held hands, and drank the chocolate in silence. Fifteen minutes later found them in the living room curled up on the couch, asleep. 

            Its how Molly found them the next morning. Harry stretched out on the couch, and Ginny laying on top of him both deep asleep. She looked them over with a glint in her eye, and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. 

            The smell of cooking bacon roused Harry, who was pleasantly weighted down by the presence of Ginny. He woke her up, and made a beeline for the bathroom, determined to be the first one there before the mad rush. 

            Ginny walked into the kitchen, dropped into a chair, and laid her head on the table. "Morning Mum." She mumbled out.

            Molly laughed softly. "Good morning dear, was your mattress comfortable last night?"

            Ginny's head shot up, and her face turned red. "We - we were up late, and Harry and I could not sleep. We drank chocolate, and must have fallen asleep on the couch."

            "So you did." Molly agreed smiling at Ginny. "However, you didn't answer my question."

            Ginny grinned back "Yeah - yeah it was." The color was still there when Harry came down from showering and changing.

            Harry helped out in the kitchen pouring juice, and setting places that morning, it was going to be a great day he thought. The four were going to do nothing today, and spend all day figuring out how to pull it off. They had planned it last night.

            **(This is one of the best memories I have. There are others that are far more poignant as the story progresses, but for now, know that I was completely at peace with the world and myself. I would not realize the gift I had until months later. But for the moment I was completely free of everything, and we wanted to capture that feeling for the entire day. – Harry)**

            Following breakfast, the four packed a picnic lunch, and headed out to the stream. Bathing suits under jeans and t-shirts, they splashed in the warm water, read and ate in the shade, and spent time with each other. No one pressured into doing or saying anything. Hours were spent chatting, or silently holding hands. 

            They made it to the house as the sun began to set, and dinner was prepared. A going-away party and all the children were home. Noise and confusion was the rule, and Harry drank it all in. His family was there to share everything now, and he was at peace with the world.

            The next morning was spent rechecking all the supplies and books purchased in Diagon Alley weeks before. Trunks were packed, and stacked by the door. Cars from the ministry would be by the next morning to take them to King's Cross.

            Dinner was enjoyable; Bill and Charlie had decided to stay until the end of the week to ease the sense of loses Molly felt when her children had left for school. Arthur had taken time off work, and only Percy had insisted on maintaining his schedule.

            The trip to King's Cross was uneventful, as was the loading and departure of the train from the station. During the ride Draco Malfoy invariably ended up coming to their cabin. 

            "Malfoy, I would have thought you would have learned by now." Ron stated simply. "We don't like you, and to be blunt, this will only result in you getting some nasty new growth on your face or something."

            The blonde boy had merely opened the door, and Ron had made his comment as Draco's mouth had opened. 

            "Draco," Harry said "Unless you are here to discuss something in a civilized manner, please leave." With that he turned to Ginny, and kissed her.

            Draco looked at the scene, and a positively evil grin spread. "So, Potter has a whore."

            Harry's face twisted in a rage that shocked his three friends. Fury pulsed through him. "Malfoy, you have a very limited lease on your life at this moment in time." Harry said hatred dripping from every word; his eyes had turned to a cold ice green. Malfoy took a step back fear registering in his blue eyes. "Because, to be honest, I don't know if I am going to stop from killing you."

            Harry stood then, and faced Draco fully. "Go on Potter, you think the world should bend over and kiss your ass. Or is it just the Weasels? How much does he pay you to kiss his ass Weasel?"

            Crabbe and Goyle looked at one another stupidly, and then at Draco. "I think.."

            "_You don't think_." Malfoy said coldly. "_I think for you._"

            Harry blinked. The fury fled from him leaving cold, emptiness. "**_Leave Malfoy. Just go._**" He placed his hand on Draco's chest and pushed him out into the hall. "**_Don't come back to this cabin._**" Harry's voice had an unreal tinge to it. The hatred was gone, but _something_ was there, the words sounded powerful.

            Malfoy turned, and left, Crabbe and Goyle following him. Harry turned to his friends, opened his mouth to speak and passed out. 

            The three scrambled to lift him onto the seat, Ginny, held his hand. 


	4. Chapter 3

**_Chapter 3_**

****

            "Bloody hell, what was that all about?" Ron asked. As soon as Harry was positioned more comfortably. "I mean Malfoy just _left_. It's like he was compelled to leave."

            Hermione was considering this when the doors opened. To their shock the three were looking into the face of Remus Lupin.

            "What's going on here?" Lupin asked in his quiet voice. 

            Ron and Hermione explained the events of the past few minutes to Lupin, and the considered this thoughtfully. "No wand, no incantation?" Lupin asked finally.

            "No, none at all Professor Lupin" Hermione stated flatly. "It was just pure - well, power. It's hard to describe."

            Lupin examined Harry, and finally said with a shrug "I don't know. I wish I did, but I don't know. This is not something that one hears about normally. I don't think I even ever read about it."

            Hermione spoke up. "Well, there is this story of a wizard who could do some pretty advanced magic without a wand, but I think he still needed to speak the words, as - as a focus point." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "The name of the wizard escapes me at the minute, but I'll think of it."

            Lupin looked at her with a smile. "If anyone would, Hermione, you would." Hermione flushed at the words. Ron snickered softly. "For now, let's let him sleep." He pulled out his wand, and summoned a blanket and pillow for Harry. He handed the pillow to Ginny, and lifted Harry with a flick of his wand. She placed it under his head and Harry lowered onto it. The blanket was then laid over his sleeping form. Harry sighed, and sank deeper into the pillow.

            Lupin turned to the three. "I'll be back shortly." He turned and made to leave the cabin. "Oh, and get plenty of food from the trolley. Wandless magic of any kind tends to leave the practitioner famished, and after what you described, he is going to need it I warrant."

            Lupin left, heading back towards the end of the train. "Of course, if he draws power like that he'll be tired, and then ravenous." Hermione said looking pleased with herself. "I do hope Harry will forgive us digging through his stuff." Her and Ron pulled out Harry's trunk and rummaged through it looking for his bag of coins. They located it, and packed up the rest of his belongings.

            Shortly Lupin re-entered the cabin, and with in minutes the trolley witch appeared. Lupin took Harry's money, and paid the witch for a rather large amount of food. Lupin handed them all some, taking a pumpkin pastry for himself as they waited for Harry to wake. 

            Fully an hour later, Harry stirred. His eyes blinked open and focused on Ginny, a smile flitted over his lips. "Good morning love." He said softly. Suddenly his eyes popped open. And he sat up with a start. The events with Draco came to the forefront of his mind. "Where's Malfoy?" anger edged his words. 

            "He left." Ron stated looking up from his Chocolate Frog card. "You told him to sod off, and well - he did."

            "Professor Lupin!" Harry exclaimed surprising Lupin with a hug warm and filled with emotion. "I didn't know you were coming back?"

            "Well, Dumbledore made me see the error of my ways Harry." He said. "Now, shut it, and eat. You must be starving right now."

            Harry realized he was, and saw the rather wide selection of food, and dug in. Eating like he hadn't eaten in months. Finally sated, he sat back. "Wow, I don't think I've ever eaten so much." Even Ron was staring at him gape mouthed. 

            "Harry, when Professor Lupin said to buy you lots of food, we had no idea. I'm glad he was here when the witch showed up." 

            Harry was toying with a small pile of Chocolate Frog cards. "That's funny." He said looking at them. 

            "What's funny?" asked Ron, looking over at him.

            "Look at these cards." He handed them over to Ron. 

            Ron laughed "Well, there are you, you, you…' his eyes shot up to Harry. "Blimey Harry, they are all you…" 

            "Yeah…why would that be? I've never gotten so many Chocolate Frog cards of any one wizard before, and I have never gotten me before." Harry laughed at this. "That even sounds funny. 'I've never gotten me before.'" 

            Ron looked at Harry carefully for a moment. "So what's it like?" He asked slowly. "To see yourself like this?"

            "Frankly Ron, I hate it." Harry sobered up from the soft laughter. "It's like sure that's me, but it's not. It's this image that everyone clings to. The indomitable hero against Voldemort who can save the world, and then I look in the mirror and see a scared, scrawny fifteen year old boy, and I know that that's the real me."

            Ron thought this over in silence for a while. "Yeah, I can see that. So, want to lose to me in chess or exploding snap?"

            Lupin watched the four of them, particularly the closeness and familiarity between Harry and Ginny. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he almost let out a gasp. Why hadn't he seen this before? Sitting there playing chess against Ron and Hermione it looked just like Lily and James all over again. With that thought, he smiled slightly and settled back to get some rest.

            As the train stopped, Lupin handed Harry his money bag. "We, ahh, had to borrow a few galleons to pay for the sumptuous meal." 

            Harry smiled, "I'd have wound up buying anyway. Besides, I really needed the food."

            They made their way to the carriages, Lupin traveled with another pair of adults, the four friends in a carriage to themselves, and the silence was a comfortable one. Broken only by the noises of the carriage, they got out, and entered the great hall, finding themselves seats at the Gryffindor table.

            The noise in the great hall was swelling as old friends called out to one another, the sorting ceremony took place, Dumbledore said a few words, and the food came on. Following the feast, Dumbledore announced the return of Remus Lupin to the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, to be aided by Sirius Black. The silence in the hall was deafening. Harry's eyes shot up to Dumbledore. 

            Sirius Black was indeed sitting at the head table, looking better than Harry had ever remembered him looking. "Sirius Black," Dumbledore repeated "is going to assist Professor Lupin when he is, ah, otherwise indisposed. It would seem that Peter Pettigrew is not dead, and Mr. Black has been pardoned by the Ministry of Magic."

            The students were stunned by this news. Harry was, of course, elated. Following the announcements, the students began filing towards their common rooms, and bed. Harry caught sight of Remus and Sirius heading their way, and he held his friends back. 

            "Harry! It's so good to see you!" Sirius hugged Harry, and then the other three in turn. "Remus told me about what happened on the train, are you sure you are ok?"

            "Yeah, it was weird though." Harry retold what he could remember, Hermione, Ron and Ginny interjecting where they thought appropriate. Finally, Remus and Sirius sent them back to Gryffindor Tower, telling them to get some sleep they had all year to talk.

            **(Harry would learn later on, in life never to put off anything. I remember one night just before… well, never mind what it was just before, suffice to say Harry and I wound up playing chess for hours, because as Harry said then, 'You never know when we'll get the chance to play again Ron.' – Ron)**


	5. Chapter 4

**_Chapter 4_**

            The next morning is etched so firmly in the minds of the Companions and survivors, they could relate any detail even as much as twenty years from the day. The morning was perfect, it was warm, and sunny and the last place any of the students and most of the teachers wanted to be was in the castle. 

At breakfast, they received their schedules. All four were shocked. They went to Professor McGonagall immediately. "Professor," Hermione called McGonagall's attention "We were looking over our schedules, and there seems to be something wrong."

Minerva McGonagall looked at them sternly. "Let me see." She fairly snatched the parchment from their hands, glanced over them and handed them back. "No, they are correct, now run along, or you'll be late." She waved them off.

"But Professor…" Hermione started.

"I _said_ to run along. _Or you'll be late._" She glared at the four students. "So _go!_"

They retreated looking at the schedules. All four talking in hushed tones as they headed into the halls. "I don't get it." Ron stated. "There's nothing but times and rooms. I don't even know what books to carry!" His frustration and confusion evident in his mannerism and tone.

Harry looked at his schedule, "What 'class' have you all got next?"

"Charms Hall Room 103" Hermione answered. The other two looked at their schedules and nodded. 

"Why are we all in the same classes?" Ron asked looking at Ginny. "You aren't supposed to be in the fifth year." 

Ginny shrugged. "I don't know. It's all very odd."

They trooped to the Charms Hall and found room 103; it was a small room, barely big enough to fit a dozen students. Dumbledore sat at the desk rummaging in a small leather bag. "Ah!" he exclaimed cheerily as he drew out a quill and ink bottle. "Please have a seat. The other students should be ambling in any time now."

All in all ten students were in the small classroom when the last 'ambled in' as Dumbledore has so quaintly put it.

"You were all picked" Dumbledore said as the last student sat down "to attend a, shall we say 'advanced curriculum' from here on out.  You were each chosen for merits and skills that are sorely needed in these dark times." He paused and drank from a glass of water on his desk. "As such, you will not attend normal classes, but rather you will simply show up at the times and places listed on your schedule. Your books will remain in the classrooms."

Hermione's hand shot up in the air. Dumbledore nodded to her. "How will we complete homework assignments if we don't have our books?" she asked clearly distressed at leaving her books behind.

"You will have no homework that your books will aid you in." He returned his attention to the class as a whole. "You will not perform extra-curricular activities." His gaze played over a few in the room. "You will also be moved from the dormitories, to new sleeping arrangements."

The classroom erupted in comments. It took Dumbledore five minutes and several 'BANG' noises from his wand to regain their attention. "As I was saying, this means you ten will form another 'house' in Hogwarts. As such, I'd like to welcome you to your new house."

The students sat there stunned. "New house?" Harry asked out loud. "What new house?"

Dumbledore smiled. "We are calling the new house 'Telisin' your crest will be a phoenix, and your colors will be gold and silver. You will find all of your personal belongings are in your rooms in the new dormitory. I'll be leading you there shortly. Do you have any questions?"

Hands shot up from around the room, while the most vocal just spilled out questions immediately. Dumbledore smiled softly, and waited until the furor died down. It took the better part of the class for the bulk of the questions to be answered. Finally, Dumbledore stated, "If you will all follow me then…" and left the room, trailing the ten students behind him.

He led them on a journey through the castle to a little used area, it was apparent that this section of the castle had not seen use in a while. Shockingly, when they arrived at the entrance to the new dormitory, they found six burly trolls there. 

Dumbledore spoke quietly to them and then the leader of the trolls sized up the ten students, and gave a short nod to the headmaster. They proceeded to a statue of a chimera. "Voldemort" Dumbledore said, and the statue moved to the side. They walked into a common room not terribly unlike the Gryffindor one Harry noted; only the colors were different.

"This is your common room" Dumbledore stated simply. Pointing to the single set of stairs, he continued "dormitories are that way; you'll find your name on the door to the appropriate room." He glanced at a watch. "Your next class is in two hours. I'd suggest you mingle a bit, and acquaint yourself with your new surroundings." With that, he left the students.

Harry looked at the others for a moment, so what _was_ Dumbledore playing at this time? He wondered to himself.

On the wall a bulletin board had the usual announcements and information, the fireplace positively glowed with warmth, and the couches and tables were soft, and comfortable. Tables were interspersed throughout the room. It was then that they all noticed a small plaque. 

'In dedication to the Companions, may their sacrifice not be in vain.' Under it were ten names of which one stood out 'Albus Dumbledore' and the date '1938'. 

The ten students looked at one another as this information came clear. So Dumbledore himself had been a part of this just a few years before the defeat of Griswald. "So eight years prior to the fall of Griswald" a voice behind him stated "Dumbledore was part of this 'Companions'." Harry knew the voice was Justin Finch-Fletchley. 

He surveyed the cluster of students, Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Cho Chang, Hanna Abbott, Susan Bones, Lisa Turpin, Dean Thomas, and himself. He noted the distinct lack of ex-Slytherin, and a large number of ex-Gryffindor. 

They wandered the common room a bit, peering at items of interest, and eventually headed into the dorm area. On each of the five doors were two names. The first was 'Harry Potter' and 'Ron Weasley' next was 'Hermione Granger' and 'Ginny Weasley', next was "Lisa Turpin' and 'Susan Bones', then 'Dean Thomas', and 'Justin Finch-Fletchley' and finally 'Hanna Abbott' and 'Cho Chang'. 

They entered the rooms, to find two four poster beds the drapes were a soft golden fabric, trimmed in silver, and emblazoned in red on each was a phoenix. They found all their personal items lain out as before. The bathroom came as a complete surprise. There was only one. 

They went back to the common room, and this became a heated topic of conversation until the doorway opened again. Sirius Black entered the common room, and stated "Calm down all of you!" The students fell silent. "Yes, we realize that the accommodations here are less than perfect. However, you must understand that these are difficult times, and some allowances must be made. Every one of you are asked to make some sacrifices, this is one of those. We are not going to add another bathroom to this dorm; it's up to you to decide how to work with the tools we have given you."

With this another bout of arguing started. "I am not showering in the same room that boys do!" Cho stated.

"Then you are going to smell bad." Was Sirius's reply.

Ginny thought a moment, and then stated. "I do at home; it's not really any different. You just need to set a schedule, and stick to it." 

Ron nodded at this "It's not so bad really." 

Sirius noted that this seemed to calm down the most vocal opponents and dropped the next bit of news. "I am your Head of House. My office is located in the next hallway down to the left." He paused again waiting for questions, none came. "The classrooms in this wing are being renovated to ready them for your classes. You will not be joining your ex-classmates for classes. This is your house, and you will take classes here in this wing. You are your own classmates." He stopped again. 

"Professor Black," Susan Bones asked. "Are we going to be completely isolated from our old friends? Where are we to eat?"

Sirius looked at them and smiled. "No, you will eat in the main dining room, unless your classes interfere. A fifth table has been set up for you. During breaks you are allowed to freely mingle as you see fit. However," at this his voice took on a hard edge "you are _not_ allowed to discuss your lessons with anyone not in this room. You will be magically bound to secrecy. There will be no more and no less than ten students in this house until the danger has passed."

Hanna spoke up, "We can leave the program then?"

Sirius nodded at this. "Yes, no one is forced into their roles in this group. You were all selected because you have a unique talent that this group will need in the coming months."

Sirius then stood and beckoned them to follow. "Its lunch time and Headmaster Dumbledore asked that I lead you until you are accustomed to the new path to the great hall."

            A sense of something wrong was in the very air of the castle during the lunch break. The students seemed restless. They noticed the small table set aside from the rest of the students, and the ten students who sat there. 

Sirius cornered Ron, Harry, Hermione and Ginny "Come to my office tonight after dinner. We have some things to discuss with you four in private."

            They turned and left the hall leaving a stunned set of students behind them. "What on earth could they want with us?" Harry asked. 

            Hermione looked thoughtful, "Perhaps it's something to do with the Order" she whispered to the other three. "Perhaps something's happening and they need us to do something." She was positively glowing with the thought of doing _something_ for the Order.

            Harry rolled his eyes; he had thought Hermione of all people would be glad to have a normal year in school. He sighed wistfully and thought what it would be like to be normal, go to school, dream of your girlfriend, and quiddich, your worst fear being the next exam. Best not dwell on those thoughts, he returned to his friends. "Well, we'll all find out in a few hours then, won't we?"

            Their classes were interesting, to say the least. Each one seemed to be focused more on practical application than on learning things like Goblins who revolted, or how to turn a pincushion into a hedgehog. Instead they got basic healing magic, advanced potions, how to detect, block and break curses, advanced herbology, and mastery over the dark arts. This final class was taught by Dumbledore himself. It was by far the most interesting and thought provoking of all of the new classes. They were learning the dark arts, and how to track them down. 

            Advanced potions was taught by Severous Snape, who taught them with a wicked glint in his eye, oddly enough for Harry, Snape actually seemed to not go out of his way to antagonize him, it made potions almost pleasant. They were working on a draft to aid the senses when suddenly Snape looked up.

            "Potter, gather your classmates together, and destroy the drafts."

            Harry blinked. "I'm sorry Professor, but I don't understand."

            Snape sighed heavily and stood up. "You are not being taught to _think_ Potter, you are being taught to _do_. Now destroy these potions!"

            Harry looked at the ingredients and selected a few new ones from the items on the shelves. He passed them around and the class made the potions inert. He looked to Snape, "It's done Professor."

            "It took you too long; you need to be able to render potions inert in a much shorter time. Five points from Telisin." Snape sat down again and went back to his parchments. "Now, clean up and start again, this time, you are making the potion on page 435."

            Harry sighed, and went to work cleaning out the cauldron. Sure enough they were about halfway done Snape told them to destroy their potions, this time Harry was ready, he had already set aside the items to destroy the potions. "Ms. Weasley, destroy the potions." 

            This went on for the next several hours, the students thinking ahead and planning ways to make the potions inert as they went along. Finally as the class ended Harry did something that amazed even himself. He raised his hand. 

            Snape regarded him for a moment. "Yes Potter?"

            "Why are you teaching us to destroy the potions Professor?" Harry asked finally. "I mean that's what we are learning here. Why?"

            Snape looked at him as if he were a complete idiot. "Potter, I was given the chore of teaching you ten a specific set of tasks. I answer to one man in this castle, that being Headmaster Dumbledore, not Student Harry Potter. You would be well advised to keep that in mind." With that he stood up, and made to the door. "Oh, and Potter the next time you question me, you _will_ serve detention."

            They spent the evening meal at the Telisin table, eating and talking in hushed whispers. 

            "What was _that _all about?" Harry finally asked as they were digging into their meals. "Why teach us to destroy potions?"

            Hermione looked at him. "Well Harry, if we are making something that must not be captured, we need to be prepared to render it valueless." Ron looked at her shock evident on his face. "Oh isn't it obvious?"

            From the blank stares from the rest of her new housemates, it wasn't. "We'll discuss this in the common room later."

            The rest of the meal was spent in more or less silence made more evident by the laughing and joking from the other four house tables. Finally a small knot of people from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw came over to the Telisin table. 

            Colin Creevey, the self-proclaimed spokesperson for the students spoke up. "What's going on with you?" Harry wasn't sure if the question was meant for him in particular or for the collected members of Telisin. 

            "What do you mean Colin?" Ginny asked at once.

            "Well you aren't part of Gryffindor anymore are you? You have different crests, for a house that doesn't exist. No one knows where any of you are, and we lost our seeker." He looked positively aghast at the last part. "There is no way we can win the house cup now."

            Harry considered it a minute. "You are right Colin; we aren't part of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff." He saw the look on Colin's face. "No, we aren't in Slytherin either Colin. It's difficult, and perhaps if you want more answers you should talk to McGonagall." 

            "Yes, Mr. Creevey, you should be talking to your head of house, now leave." This came from Snape who had overheard the conversation. "Return to your house tables, and do not bother these students any more."

            It was hard to tell who was more shocked, Harry or Colin. The small band of students practically fled from the Telisin table back to their own house tables. 

            "Well, that went well." Ron said under his breath.

            They finished up and headed back to their common room "Voldemort" Harry said, being perhaps one of the only ones not to flinch at the word. The Chimera stood firm. 

            Harry blinked, "Voldemort" he repeated. The statue stayed firm. 

            "U hast to all says de passwud." The grating voice of the troll on duty informed them. 

            In turn each said the word, and the statue slid aside with a fluid grace. Albus Dumbledore was waiting for them. 

            "Professor, can we have the password changed?" Ron asked pensively, already knowing the answer. 

            "No Mr. Weasley, I will not change the password. It's just a word, a name after all and nothing more. You cannot remain afraid of a simple word and remain in this house." He smiled warmly at them. "Now let's get some questions out of the way and answered shall we? For a bit however, please don't ask questions, just listen."

            They took up seats near the fire, and Harry noticed the tea and chocolate biscuits on the table. He poured himself a cup, and selected a biscuit, settling down intending on listening. 

            "When Hogwarts was founded," Dumbledore began "there was a very real, very present danger to the wizardling world. The muggles were trying to destroy the wizards, sure that the wizards were going to use their power for ill-gotten gains. The four founders knew there would be an issue with defending the castle, so they looked for someone to assist them in protecting the castle. This was a witch by the name of Coriander Telisin." He paused to nibble a biscuit and sip his tea. "Coriander Telisin was a witch of some renown in the arts of deception, warding, and protection. She set forth the basis of many of the wards that even now defend the school and grounds from detection both by muggle and wizard means. When the Sorting Hat was fashioned, Godric Gryffindor added Coriander Telisin into the hat as well, but only during trying times, and even then only a small number of people."

            Here he paused and drank again. "Ever since, whenever times are trying, the hat speaks ten names. These ten are the chosen ones by the criteria Coriander Telisin gave the hat. The make up of the group seems different each time. In my lifetime, the hat has spoken three times. The first was in 1938, when Grindalwald was making a nuisance of himself. I was one of ten chosen then. The next time was in 1970." 

            Harry dropped his cup. "You mean…" 

            Dumbledore raised his hand. "It is time to listen Harry, not to speak." With a deft wave of his wand the cup reassembled itself, and Harry picked it up, filling it with trembling hands. "The second time was in 1970," he continued "when Voldemort was coming into power. The third time was a week ago; the hat began speaking the names of you ten." He drank more tea, the snapping and popping of the fire was the only noise for a minute. "So here you are, chosen for this task ahead of you. You need to understand, this is no light matter. Now is the time for questions."

            Ron spoke up "We just spent an entire afternoon _almost_ brewing potions Professor, why?"

            Dumbledore thought for a moment. "I am sure Professor Snape didn't elaborate, pity, as he of all people knows why. Well, simply put, let's imagine something. You are moving into a site known to be occupied by death eaters; you find a cauldron brewing on the fire. What would you do?"

            Ron considered for a minute. "Well, I'd look to see what they were brewing…" 

            Dumbledore looked at him for a handful of seconds as if waiting for the rest of Ron's answer "Then Mr. Weasley, what would you do?"

            Hermione caught on. "Destroy it." 

            "Precisely Ms. Granger. Now how exactly would you destroy a light green potion that is slightly lumpy looking?" Asked a smooth voice from the doorway, Sirius Black stood there watching them all.

            Harry thought desperately. "Slip in some armadillo bile. The potion would be meant to aid in the senses we learned…" He looked up at Sirius. "We learned that today, and I talked back to Professor Snape about it." The guilt on his face was apparent.

            "Well Harry, I am glad you understand now. There will be no trivial learning here. You have much to learn and a very short amount of time to learn it all in. Make sure you pay attention in your lessons." Sirius poured himself a cup of tea and selected a couple biscuits sitting in the chair next to Dumbledore. "Tomorrow morning, and all Tuesday mornings you will report to the Great Hall in sweats."

            The students exchanged glances.

            Well, we seem to have an abnormally high number of student authority positions in Telisin, professor." Black noted. "Three prefects, a head boy and girl."

            Dumbledore nodded. "You will all understand, I hope" he said flatly "when I ask for your badges." 

            Ron and Ginny dropped their badges on the table along with Harry and Hermione's head boy and girl badges. Susan Bones fingered her badge for a moment and finally piled it with the other four. "Well, it was good while it lasted." She stated simply, but the hurt in her eyes was apparent.

            "Ms. Bones, please do not look at this as you losing your status, if anything you have _gained_ status in Hogwarts in a way precious few people have been asked to do. You ten will be instrumental in bringing Voldemort to his knees." Sirius held her gaze a minute longer. "The titles of Prefect, Head Boy or Head Girl, Team Captain, are simply not in league with Companion."

            Her eyes grew at that comment. "There are three living Companions, other than you ten; they are Professor Dumbledore, Arthur and Molly Weasley." Heads snapped up, Ginny's breath caught in her throat. 

            "Mum and dad were Companions???" Ron blurted out. "That's not possible!"

            "Apparently you don't give your father and mother much credit Ron; they were amazing in their roles, quite pivotal in the end." Dumbledore said simply. "They were the ones to defend Diagon Alley from an attack by the death eaters the night before Harry's parents were killed. It was they who thought of using the charm to protect Lily, James and Harry from Voldemort. It wasn't until I had a chance to talk to them that they understood partially at least, what went wrong." He glanced apologetically over to Sirius. "They remain the most loyal of the Companions.

            "Tonight, you will join the ranks of the Companions. You will experience a quickening of your powers, however, to do this will also quicken your age. It seems that this process places you at the age of twenty years." He paused to allow the words to sink in. "This means a considerable amount; you will all be adults, capable of making decisions based solely on your merit. Do not misunderstand, you will still need to mature emotionally, and mentally, but physically in less than one hour, you will be twenty years old. Wizardling law thus dictates that you follow the laws as an adult, and that you are granted the privileges of adulthood." He looked sternly at them all. 

            "Sir," Harry seemed full of uncertainty, "if this changes us physically, but not emotionally, or mentally, what will happen to us when we leave the school?"

            "Why nothing Harry, the charm that begins the quickening ties the ten of you together until such time as one of you dies. Then you will begin ageing at the normal rate again."

            "So, what happens until that day?" Hermione asked sure she knew the answer already.

            "None of you will age." Sirius answered. 

            "But, what are ten twenty year old students to do at Hogwarts?" Susan asked. She had taken a seat next to Lisa, her friend of the last few years. They had been very close since their second year. Harry had heard they had been _very_ close, but he didn't see as it was any of his concern. One thing he had learned very well, happiness is a great gift, regardless of the packaging. 

            "That, Lisa is why none of you may pursue any extracurricular activities, and why you must be isolated from the bulk of the students. By now you would have noticed that you have new robes on your beds. They will be overly large; I'd recommend you go put them on, as well as the sweat suits that are also on your beds. I must insist on one thing, wear no article of clothing not on your bed." His eyes flickered to each of the girls present. "It is an unfortunate, but necessary precaution, as no one can accurately assume your proportions when you mature.

            "Well, go change, and meet back here in thirty minutes." Dumbledore summoned forth more biscuits for himself and Sirius. "Please sit Sirius; let's discuss some ideas I have on the next few months." Sirius selected a few more biscuits and settled back into his chair near the Headmaster and they began talking in low tones as the Companions headed to their rooms.

            Ron and Harry changed into the oversized clothing, and Harry realized they had no underwear or shoes. He looked at Ron who shrugged back. Once dressed, they gathered up the bottoms of their robes to keep from tripping over them and padded out to the common room to find the others in a similar state of miserable dress. Harry stifled a laugh; they looked like they were all wearing Dudley's clothes.

            Dumbledore caught Harry's eye, and he say the humor reflected there. "Harry, come stand here." He indicated a spot on the ground, and then began placing the rest of them in pairs. Harry noticed that Lisa and Susan were paired next to each other but the rest were boy-girl. As he looked around the circle he saw Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Justin, Cho, Dean, Hanna, Susan, Lisa, and finally himself. 

            "This will be harder the younger you are you see we are not artificially aging you, rather you are rapidly speeding up the aging process, and you _are_ aging. There will be some pain involved, I'm sorry to say, but it's no worse than using skele-gro." Harry almost contained his groan the others looked at him with some trepidation. "Yes, well, perhaps skele-gro is a bit radical, but the concept remains the same."

            With that he gave them each a small vial. "Drink this when the incantation is complete, and everything should be fine." Harry unstoppered his and took a quick sniff of the contents. It even smelled like skele-gro. 

            Dumbledore performed a very complex ritual that Harry was having difficulty keeping focused on. He reached out with his left hand, and found Ginny's. Holding on to her hand gave him focus and support. He noticed he was sweating, and a certain amount of pain was lancing through him. Dumbledore stopped chanting, and simply said "Drink."

            It tasted like skele-gro. Harry downed the potion and instantly regretted it. Pain unlike any he had felt before raced over his nerves, his eyes focused and blurred, his head swam for a moment, and then felt too small, the feeling was matched by the rest of his body, he had to burst free of the constraints of – of himself. There was too much power, and he needed to focus it somewhere other than inside himself, but he couldn't think straight, his mind raced.

            Then the pain left. It was as if he had been reborn, he climbed shakily to his feet at once noticing that the robes were no longer too long, nor too baggy, but rather he filled them out comfortably, if anything the robes were a bit short now. He turned to Dumbledore and in a voice barely recognizable as his own asked, "Is it over?"

            "Yes Harry, it's over." Dumbledore was assisting Susan and Lisa up from the floor as he answered.

            Harry surveyed the others, his eyes lighting on Ginny, and he saw her in a whole new light. They had been close before the quickening. They had declared their love for one another, and kissed passionately as youths do. But now Harry was looking at her with something far more primal, something deep inside himself was waking, and it was enjoying the sight of the new Ginny Weasley.

            Ginny felt like she had been chewed up and spat out, her entire body was still humming with the sensation of the growth, when she felt Harry's hand in hers it had been a grateful hand that clutched his, anchoring her to reality. After the quickening she locked her eyes on her boyfriend, and what she saw caused her mind to focus on nothing but him. _I have to touch him, feel him._ Ran through her mind over and over again, his hand in hers wasn't enough, she needed more. His eyes were points of green fire drawing her in. 

            "I'd suggest you all retire for the night, perhaps after a shower." Sirius said. "This has taken a lot out of you, and as you may have noticed by now, you are feeling the effects of a hormonal change. Remember you are physically twenty, but emotionally, you are still fourteen and fifteen."

            They talked for a few more minutes, after which Dumbledore bade them to excuse him, and then headed for the door, Sirius made to follow him, and stopped. "Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, please follow me." He turned and followed Dumbledore out of the common room.

            The four friends followed Sirius to his office in silence. "Have a seat he said, indicating a couple chairs and a couch. They seated themselves, Harry took a chair, and Ginny perched on the arm. Sirius smiled at this warmly.

            "You four are here for a reason. By now I am sure you know what that reason is." Sirius looked at the two couples. "Simply put, I'll explain some rules that you four need to follow. I am going go state this once, we will not discuss it, and when I am done, you will return to your common room for the evening. I'll have no 'room swapping' in Telisin. At night there will be two girls in the east room and two boys in the west room. In the morning there will be two girls in the east room, and two boys in the west room. The only reason there should be any less than that is if you are in the loo, or getting water." 

            He paused a minute. "There will be no fraternizing in the common room, no 'moonlight strolls' _anywhere_. Now with that said, I'll be making random inspections of the rooms at 11 pm and 6 am. I suspect everything will be in order every Wednesday night and Thursday morning?"

            Four heads nodded nervously. 

            "Good, get out of here, and get back to your common room. I'd strongly suggest a cool shower." With that he stood up and dismissed them. They bolted back to the common room.

            Harry sat in his chair in thought a moment before he spoke up. "Did he just do what I think he did?" he asked Ginny.

            She was positively glowing with laughter. "Yes Harry, he did."

            A smile spread across his face at that. "I thought as much."

            Ron smirked. "Harry, mate, I don't want to know."

            Hermione leaned down and whispered into his ear for a few seconds, Ron's face colored a bit. "Yes, well – Let's take a walk then Hermione." They left the common room hand in hand.

            Weeks slid by the members of Telisin were amazed at how much they were learning. Nothing was impractical or trivial; it was all hard, consistent magic. Tuesday mornings were for physical training. They spent that time running, exercising, and learning personal combat from a small oriental witch who was addressed simply as 'Sensei Lin' by the students. Harry rather enjoyed this training, it left them all tired for the first couple lessons, but shortly they adapted to the routine.

Before they knew it, there was the announcement of a Halloween Ball. Ron turned to Hermione. "Hermione, do you want to go to the ball with me?"

            She stopped and looked at Ron, "Why yes, I think I do." She answered smiling at him fondly. 

            He grinned back. "See, even _I_ can learn."

            Harry watched the two of them smiling, and turned to Ginny he leaned in to kiss her. "Ginny," he started "What color dress are you wearing to the ball?"

            She looked at him oddly. "Er, dark blue."

            "Does that go with green?" Harry asked.

            "Well, yes, I think it does." Ginny said trying to think what he was getting at with this. Of course they were going to the ball together, either that or she would be attending Harry Potter's funeral.

            "Well then," and with a quick flick of his wrist he was holding a red rose, "would you do me the honor of being my date to the Halloween ball?"

            She blushed, took the rose and nodded.

            Hermione and Ginny headed to their room, Harry held onto Ron's should to make him wait until the girls were out of earshot. "We need to talk to Sirius." He stated simply.

            Ron looked confused, but nodded as they made their way to Sirius's rooms. They knocked and Sirius called them in.

            Harry stood before Sirius and noticed that the Marauder's Map was on the wall, and functional. "Sirius, we need to make a trip to Hogsmeade."

            "I doubt the _need_ part. Why Harry, what do you _need_ from Hogsmeade?" Sirius asked.

            "Well, we nee - want to get gifts for Hermione and Ginny." Harry looked at Sirius. With a smirk he moved over to the map. "You don't trust me, do you?"

            Sirius looked him full in the eyes. "You are the only son of James and Lily Potter, and in possession of what is quite possibly one of the most dangerous magical items that a student who was born from James and Lily could have."

            Ron snickered "The short answer mate, is no."

            "Oh yes, and let's see Ron and Ginny are fine examples of upstanding moral fiber." Ron blushed "I am sure that the only reason you three are still in school is Hermione's influence, meager though it is, to keep you three in line." Sirius looked at both of them again, and stated simply. "So the answer to your unasked question is no, I won't be 'ignoring' the map anytime soon. However, I think I can help you out regardless. The rest of the school is getting a Hogsmeade weekend before the ball, I am sure you ten will be included in this trip, if not I am sure arrangements can be made for Remus or myself to make some purchases."

            They two young men looked relieved, and after a few more pleasantries headed back to the common room.


	6. Chapter 5

**_Chapter 5_**

            **(Ah, and here I said I wasn't going to interrupt the story line, well, I lied. I'd like to publicly state that despite everything the professors at Hogwarts did their damnedest to teach us everything we needed to know. But how to train ten young people to respond to every possibility? You can't, or, as Hermione said once in a blazing argument with Ron 'How are we supposed to plan for things that are unexpected and unknown, better we learn how to balance Harry on a needle.' – Ginny)**

            The dance would was lovely; the decorations in the great hall were fabulous. The students who helped plan the decorations had been particularly diabolical with the creative process. An oozing black and shimmering green ichors flowed down the walls into pools on the floor. Pumpkins were floating with candles burning softly in them, over the entire great hall was perfect, with one minor exception.

            Harry walked into the room flanked by the Companions; the great hall was simply abuzz with the talking of the students gathered. Slowly the sound faded as eyes turned to the young adults in the doorway. Recent events and a tougher than normal schedule had kept the Companions out of the eye of the general populace, even some of the professors did a double take at the students. They made their way somewhat self-consciously to a table near where they normally sat, and struck up conversations with themselves.

            "What the bloody hell are you staring at!" Ron finally asked of a group of students gawking.

            "Language Ron!" Hermione gently slapped his hand. "Mind your manners."

            "My manners? _My_ manners? I'm not ogling at anyone." He sat back his arms crossed over his chest. Mumbling to himself.

            "Sit up, and don't mumble, it's not polite." Hermione was looking over her menu.

            Ron sat upright, and decided to glare darkly at the students around him. Hermione's hand molded into his, and he became content to ignore everyone around him, and focus on his date.

            The evening passed without mayhem or mishap, the friends chatted lightly, by general consensus they discussed nothing but trivial items all night. At midnight they found themselves the last on the dance floor, ready to enjoy the final song played by the band, and Professor Dumbledore called them to his table.

            "I'd like to ask you up for a nightcap, I trust you can all find my office?" He smiled at them, and then stood to leave. "Please enjoy the rest of the night, and come see me at one."

            He left then, and the Companions danced the final dance and headed to their dorm to freshen up, they arrived at the gargoyle at a few minutes before one, Harry recited the password, and they walked up the staircase to the office.

            "…you are toying with forces you _cannot_ comprehend." They heard Dumbledore's voice just as Harry raised his hand to knock.

            "Don't you lecture _me_ Albus. You have overstepped your bounds this time! The Ministry of Magic will _not_ take kindly to this!" Harry's mind reeled as he attempted to place the voice. Then it struck him. 

            "Minister Fudge, if you don't calm down, I'll have to ask you to leave." Came the voice of Sirius, calm, but with an underlying tension. 

            "And _you_ a convicted felon! On the loose! Teaching in our schools!"

            "Fudge, those charges are not only false, but I never even got a trial." Sirius's tone had turned just short of violent.

            Harry allowed his knuckles to rap on the wooden door. They heard some muffled shifting of furniture, and Harry opened the door on Dumbledore's muffled "Enter."

            The room remained cozy as always, Dumbledore and Sirius were seated in armchairs near the fireplace, Fudge and Percy Weasley were standing in front of them looking important. 

            Harry sized up the situation rapidly. "Minister Fudge, Percy, so good to see you both." He stuck out his hand to a very shocked Fudge.

            "James Potter?" he managed. Percy's eyes were round looking at them all. "But, but _how_?"

            It was Harry's turn to be taken aback. "No sir, I'm Harry."

            "Dumbledore – what have you done…" Fudge said his voice barely a whisper. "Good lord man, how could you?"

            "What was done, Minister, is the same as was done in our time. What was needed to be done. _What_ happened should be obvious to you." Dumbledore was offering Fudge a drink. "Please, Cornelius sit, and talk to us without resorting to being rude."

             He gestured to the other comfortable chairs, for the Companions, who took their seats, and braced themselves for what would no doubt be a confrontation.

            "Be careful of the drink," Sirius warned them "you all have training tomorrow."

            They took the glasses offered to them, and took a sip. Most of them held back their grimace as the whiskey burned its way down their throats. Lisa fought back a cough, and dabbed at her watering eyes. 

            "Now then," Dumbledore pointed to the two remaining chairs. "Sit. We have much to discuss, and our time, I fear grows short."

            It was easily three in the morning before they made their way back to the Telisin dorms. Harry was feeling a nagging something wrong. "I'd like to talk to everyone a moment before we turn in."

            Ron looked at Harry blearily. "Come on Harry, I'm beat, and Sirius is going to dog us tomorrow with no mercy."

            "Technically Ron, it is tomorrow." Hermione said, suppressing a yawn. "Besides, Harry, Ron's right. I'm exhausted, and Sirius will be knocking on our doors in less then three hours."

            "Something is wrong with Fudge." Harry said. "I – I can't put my finger on it. But he's not acting right."

            Seamus dropped his hand heavily on Harry's shoulder. "Tomorrow mate, we'll talk about it tomorrow at lunch."

            Harry kissed Ginny good night, and headed into his and Ron's room. "Yeah, we'll figure it out tomorrow." Ron mumbled something unintelligible into his pillow, and Harry found his eyes closing heavily.

            Three hours later he woke to Sirius pounding on the doors "Let's go! Wakey Wakey! Time to rise and shine!"

            "I hate him." Ron's voice drifted from the direction of his bed. "I used to like him, but now, I hate him."

            "Lair, you only hate him because it's six am, and you don't want to be awake."

            "Sounds like a reasonable reason to hate someone." Sirius's face slipped back around the door.

            "Bloody git needs a woman…" Ron muttered darkly pulling on his sweat pants over running shorts. 

            He was heading for the door his running shoes in one hand and tee shirt in the other. "You coming Prince Charming? Or shall I send in your Princess to rouse you?"

Harry grinned evilly at Ron. "Oi, stop it, that's my sister you are having those thoughts about, and personally, I think it's revolting." He pulled a face and headed into the corridor. Harry heard his voice come through the open doorway. "Your Prince Charming refuses to get his lazy arse out of bed this morning Gin."

Ginny entered the room already dressed for running, and found Harry barely conscious sitting on the edge of his bed with his face in his hands. "Harry, are you ok?"

He looked up at her, and she gasped, her eyes opening wide. "Harry?"

The man sitting before her blinked a few times groggily, and fell back into his pillow. "Not now Lil, tell Padfoot he can go stuff himself." He fell back onto the bed asleep.

Ginny backpedaled into Sirius. "Sirius, that – that's not Harry…" 

            Sirius smiled and walked over to Harry's bed, he raised his wand and muttered a spell, and water gushed over the sleeping form on the bed. "_Padfoot you bloody git what in the bloody hell is wrong with you?_"

            Sirius dropped his wand. "James?"

**_Harry's Morning:_**

            Harry drifted into consciousness aware of warmth next to him; his mind was trying to put something together. _Sirius, yes he'd be here soon, and Ginny is so warm, and cuddly… BLOODY HELL!_ His eyes snapped open. "Gin, you have to get out of here before Sirius shows up!" He prodded and pushed on the redhead beside him. "Come on Ginny!"

            A feminine voice Harry recognized but could not place said coldly "Who in the bloody hell is 'Ginny'." The red head turned to face him and Harry found himself staring into his own eyes. 

            "Who – you aren't – where?" the words stumbled over each other, tumbling out one after another in rapid succession. 

            For her part the woman immediately recognized certain differences. The man before her could easily be her husband, but those eyes, and that scar, there was no way that was James. "_James Potter get your arse in here!_" She shouted pulling the blankets up to her chin.

            Harry having backpedaled out of bed was rising groggily rubbing the back of his head where it had intersected with the wall when he fell out. However, with the pain came clarity. _James?_

            "Mum?" Harry uttered, stunned by the realization. A soft cry came from the hallway. 

            Lilly Potter fled to the next room, Harry behind her. There in a crib lay a small child, about five months old. He sank to the floor and muttered "Good lord, now I've done it."

            The baby was snuggled into her arms, "It's ok Harry, we'll get this all sorted out, and then you can nap." 

            "No, not this time, I doubt even Dumbledore could help fix this." Harry replied. 

            Lilly Looked at the young man on the floor and realization struck her what he had said. 

            Harry became aware of a presence in the doorway. "Everything ok Lilly?" Harry heard the voice of Sirius behind him. 

            "Yes, I think it will be in a minute. Give us a bit of time Padfoot?" She smiled at the man behind her.

            "Only if you let me have my Godson, he needs exercise to grow big and strong like me. Unlike Prongs there who has fallen back asleep." A booted foot toed Harry in the ribs playfully. 

            "Oh leave him be Padfoot. _James,_ come here for a bit." She extended her hand to Harry. "I have to discuss something with you."

            Harry muttered something and stood, he heard Sirius heading downstairs and other movement in the house. "My husband's friends are downstairs, and I am giving you five minutes to explain where he is, and who you are. If I don't like what I hear or believe you, I am bringing them all up here to get the truth out of you."

            Harry took a deep breath and looked squarely into his mother's face. "First, I think you know who I am already." He held out his hand. "I'm Harry Potter. Your son."

            She drew her breath in, a hand rose to cover her mouth. "I have no idea how I got here, but I have a good idea where my father is, and Sirius is in for a big surprise." He chuckled at the thought. 

            Her hand rose to the scar on his forehead. His hand intercepted hers. "Please don't. I – I can't explain too much, but I'd like a chance to talk, just talk to you."

            She nodded. "I understand the risks of time travel Harry." She sat drinking in the man standing before her, grown, and strong. "So I'll ask you one more time. Who's Ginny?"

Harry blushed. "She ah – well" 

            "I see, and you are in the habit sleeping with your girlfriend?" Lily's eyebrow shot up towards her hairline.

            "Well, it's not like – well, it _is_ but it isn't – we, well…" Harry was getting more flustered.

            "My son is dating a scarlet woman?" 

            "NO!" Harry shouted jumping to his feet. "I love Ginny with every fiber of my being! I'm going to marry her." _I am? Where in the bloody hell did that come from?_

            "James," came a voice behind Harry, cold, and even sounding, "I don't know who 'Ginny' is, but I get dibs on what's left of you when Lily is through with you, you low-life bastard." Harry had never heard Remus angry. He turned to the three men in the doorway, and felt the surge of power from the quickening. Panic was rising fast, and with it came a burst of magic he had never felt before. 

            Remus's face made a rapid transformation "Who in the _hell_ are you?"

            "Don't drop Harry, Peter." Lily said. 

            "Peter?" Harry's voice had become cold, and hard. "_Peter Pettigrew_?"

            "Do – do I know you?" the small man spoke.

"Get your filthy, scummy hands off me." His emerald eyes glittered with unsuppressed hatred and rage. "**_Don't you EVER touch anyone in this house again._**" His augmented voice echoed eerily in the room, as Peter handed the child to Remus. Both Remus and Sirius were visibly shaken by the sheer power now emanating from Harry. A soft glow surrounded him.

A soft hand rested on his shoulder. "Harry, please calm down."

"Harry?" Sirius looked at Harry, his eyes wide, and then flickered to the black-haired infant in Remus's arms.

Harry's eyes never flinched. "_Accio wand_" he held his hand out, but nothing happened. His hand remained empty. Suddenly, with a sharp crack and a flash for blue light a wand slid into Harry's hand. 

"_Pettigrew_, I saved your miserable, worthless hide once, and if I _ever_ see it again, consequences be damned I'll make you pay. Get out of my sight." Harry watched Peter slink away down the stairs. _That's right, go tell your master I'm here you piece of shite._

"Oh god, what have I done?" Harry's face paled. "Damn him!" He collapsed on the ground sobbing. "I'm the one. I caused all this mess." He repeated over and over to himself.

Lily held the young man just a couple years younger then her, and comforted him as best she could. After a few minutes Harry regained his composure, and let the others lead him downstairs.

Remus and Sirius looked just as Harry had memorized from the pictures. They were somewhat subdued, and three pair of eyes kept flickering to the scar in his forehead. The unasked question lingered there all through breakfast.

"How did you get a curse scar Harry?" Sirius finally said. 

"I can't say." He mumbled into his tea.

"Why not?" Remus asked "Why in the hell can't you tell us Harry? And why did you go off on Peter like that? I mean sure he's a bit, well odd, but there's no need to be so harsh. I mean it's not like he killed anyone."

Harry flinched. Sirius saw it, "Who does he kill Harry? This is Peter, he couldn't kill a fly." He guffawed at his own joke. I mean it's not like he could possibly do anything to harm Lily or James." 

Harry closed his eyes he heard the voices again…

_"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"_

_"Stand aside, you silly girl... stand aside, now...."_

_"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead --"_

            A tear rolled down his cheek. His voice was a barely audible whisper, horse with suppressed emotion. "You don't understand what you are asking Sirius. I – I can't tell you." His eyes flickered open, and he saw his mother holding him in her arms. Rocking him gently back and forth, "you love me so much. No one…" 

            Lily looked at her son appraisingly. "No one Harry? No one what."

            "I – I can't say." He held his face in his hands as his mind raced. _Why can't I just say it? To hell with them all. I want my family._

            Lily watched him, "You know Harry, I never took much stock in parents knowing when their children lie, but suddenly I find myself knowing that you know the answers to all of these questions, don't you?"

            He opened his mouth, searching for the right words. "Peter is responsible for this." His fingers brushed away the fringe of hair to reveal the scar. 

            Lily gasped. "No, not Peter. He's not capable of that."

A twinge of pain lanced through it. "Voldemort is up to something." 

            The others looked at him oddly. Harry looked back thoughtfully and considered his words. "In six months time, you will be attacked by Voldemort. He will kill my father and you. He will then turn his wand on me and use the same curse in an attempt to kill me." He said looking at Lily. He turned to Sirius "you will be framed for giving information to Voldemort about my parents' where-abouts, as the secret keeper. You will be sent to Azkaban until my third year at Hogwarts where you'll see a picture of my best friend's family, and recognize that bastard in his animagus form of a rat."

            Sirius paled. "Azkaban?"

            "For the death of _Peter Pettigrew_ and a dozen muggles. At the last minute, _Peter_ will manage to convince you to change to him as the secret keeper, because you all fear that Remus is the traitor.

            "Poor unassuming _Peter_ will confront you the day after my parents are dead and I have this scar. _Peter_ will cause an explosion, and you laugh. You told me it was because finally _Peter_ has pulled a joke worthy of being a Marauder. 

            "To this day I can hear the events of that night." His eyes slid shut, and his mouth formed the words: 

_"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off --"_

_The sounds of someone stumbling from a room -- a door bursting open – a cackle of high- pitched laughter --_

_"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"_

_"Stand aside, you silly girl... stand aside, now...."_

_"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead --"_

_"Not Harry! Please... have mercy... have mercy...._

            "It haunts my dreams. For eleven years I'd been lied to by the Dursley's, tormented by their son, and my life made hell. Hagrid came for me on my birthday, and took me to get my school supplies for Hogwarts. 

            "I met my friends there," a smile plastered on his face. "I met Ron Weasley, and his brothers, Hermione Granger, and Ginny…"

            He sat there then for a moment, quiet basking in the memories of Ginny. "We love each other so much. The Weasleys took me in, cared for me, and made me feel like I had a home finally. Arthur and Molly are wonderful to me. She is the reason I continue to fight Voldemort."

            His eyes focused, and the softness faded. "Voldemort is killing people right now. The scar is from the _Avada Cadavra_ curse. After he killed my parents and tried to kill me, the protection used against me reflected back on him, and hurt him badly. He fled the country, not quite dead, not quite alive."

            Once he decided to tell there was no turning back, his mother moved behind him, and held him as he relived fifteen years of agony, loneliness, and eventually friendship and love, for them. 

            He stood after telling them everything, wiped his eyes, and excused himself to the loo. He sat there for several long minutes contemplating what he had just done. He wrestled internally and stood then his mind made up.

            He entered the kitchen and hugged his mother close. "I love you, more than I could have imagined. I wish I could say that I'll be seeing you, because I can feel the pull now, but we all know what's going to happen." He pulled out his wand. "_Obliviate! Obliviate! Obliviate!_"

            He turned to the child that would grow to become him, and smiled ruefully. "It's ok, someone will come for you, and they will shower you with wonders. Ginny will love you for you, not because of this stupid scar. Ron and Hermione are the greatest mates a man can have, don't let them down Harry. But most of all lad be true to yourself." He grinned ruefully "it's the decisions that you make in your life that make you who you are. Remember that, Professor Dumbledore will remind you when you need to know it the most.

            "You will have your family, and love. I know I've been through it all." The pull happened again, harder and his eyes unfocused.

            He awoke in his room, dressed and sitting at a desk, a quill still in his hand. He looked up and saw the faces of the Companions, and Sirius. "Harry?"

            "Yes Sirius, it's me." He looked down at the parchment:

_Dearest Harry,_

_            Sirius explained some of what has happened, and even though he didn't say everything, some things don't need saying. I know your mother and I are not alive. I can tell, because while I was here I felt empty. A feeling I've never felt while your mother is around._

_            I looked at your pictures, and found the box of effects, and I can only come to one conclusion. I am assuming something happened and your mother and I were killed. Sirius won't say, and Dumbledore was highly guarded. Since there are no pictures of us and you after a certain time, I am sure I know when it happens._

_            Ginny is a wonderful young lady, I'm proud of you, and I know your mother will be too. I'll carry the image of you as a seeker, and Tri-Wizard Champion with me forever. _

_            As for Ron and Hermione? I could not have made better friends for you, and the Weasleys are just the sort of down-to-earth people I had hoped you would be friends with, and your mother and I would be proud to have known._

_            I am sorry we are not there for you in body, but know that we are in spirit._

_With more love than I thought possible,_

_Your Father, James Potter_

            Harry sighed heavily. It had been too much; he had failed to do anything but make the issue worse. "I caused all this." He laid his face in his hands. "I was the deciding factor to make _Peter_ switch sides, I am sure of it.

            "No Harry, _Peter_ had been feeding information to Voldemort for over a year before that night. Your visit, short though it was, was six months before that. We should have heeded your warning."

            "Wait, what do you mean?" Harry grew cold.

            "You think an _Obliviate_ is all it takes to wipe a Marauder's memory? You silly boy." Sirius laughed. 

            "We talked that day, discussed all the information you had passed to us, and I thought about it. Your mother and father willingly followed the path history had set aside for them. You should know this Harry; it took them four agonizing months to come to that decision."

            Harry sat back and contemplated this. Had his parents lived, would he have been the same person? How long would they have lived? How much more damage would Riddle have done? His mind reeled with possibilities.

            "They did the right thing Harry. While the loss to you was staggering and _nothing_ can ever repay this you have to know that it would have been so much worse for everyone. But armed with the information you gave them, James and Lily did what everyone else can only claim they would do. They gave their lives so that their son could live. This is the only gift they could give you in the end Harry."

            He let this sink in and stood then, "I – I need a moment or two Sirius." He walked out the door and into the halls. The students that had been his classmates gave him wide passage, as he made his way to the doors. 

            He found himself on the edge of the lake, he absently muttered a warming charm against the chill in the air, he wasn't sure when Ginny joined him, but she made her presence known by wrapping his cloak about his shoulders and took his hand.

            They stood there side by side unspeaking. "She was wonderful." He said at last. "I was confused and hurt, and she held me." 

He said it as if this had been the rarest gift ever. Suddenly Ginny felt an embarrassment of riches. Her mother and father had always been there to hold her during nightmares and falls and emotional trouble, and Harry – well we all knew about Harry. 

"It was wonderful Gin, she held me, and – and suddenly I understood so much. With that simple act she gave me something I can never repay."

"Harry, you can't repay a parents love. They give it because they love their child unconditionally."

He continued to stare into nothingness. "When this mess is all over Gin, I promise to you something. We'll start a new life, you and I." He turned to her, and locked his eyes on hers. "I never want to be apart from you, no matter how long we live. One year or one thousand years. I want you always with me."

She wrapped her arms around him and held him then. It was several minutes before they returned to the castle. "We can discuss forever later Harry, when you are not recovering from seeing your mother." Inwardly there was a glow, a seed had been planted. _And hope springs eternal._ She thought to herself.

They reached the common room to see everyone grumbling about waiting to go to breakfast. 

"Oh stop it." Ginny said "It's not like they will be serving for another hour."

Sirius laughed and herded them out to take a couple laps around the lake "to raise a proper appetite."

He had much to think about as he watched Harry and Ginny jog off. Many things indeed. He turned and headed to Dumbledore's office. James had imparted him with some information that was new, something James had been keeping a secret and he wasn't sure if Harry was ready for more shocks.

After their run, the student's wandered into the common room, Harry and Hermione played a quick rock-paper-scissors for first shot at the showers. Harry lost, so the boys were sitting in the common room awaiting their turn at the showers.

Sirius and Dumbledore came into the common room at the same point as Hermione stuck her head around the corner letting them know the showers were open. Dumbledore bid them to shower; he was having breakfast sent down to the students so they should take their time.

Harry and the others showered quickly got dressed and walked into the common room, the table there had been extended a bit and had two chairs had been added, Sirius and Dumbledore were seated there and helping themselves to breakfast.

They sat and Harry got the distinct impression that there was more going on than he was told. 

"So what did you and my dad talk about Sirius?" Harry asked pointedly as he sat.

Sirius almost dropped his glass, but managed to spill some on his robes. "Bloody hell." He got up heading to the loo muttering darkly.

Harry turned on Dumbledore. The elder wizard returned his gaze coolly. "As I was not a participant in the talk between your father and Professor Black, I do not know the details about what they discussed; I believe that Sirius would be a better candidate for this discussion Harry."

"You are hiding things from me Professor." Harry said levelly. He began placing food on his plate. 

"Your perception of things grows drastically with your power Harry. Yes I do know what they talked about, but I also know that this is something you and Sirius need to discuss." 

            Harry looked at the only wizard he was sure was more powerful then he was himself. "Of course Professor."


	7. Chapter 6

**_Chapter 6_**

            Sirius returned to the table still dabbing at a wet spot on the front of his robes, where the bulk of the juice had pooled. 

            They finished breakfast, tension running high between Harry and Sirius, both attempting to hide their unease. 

            Following breakfast, Dumbledore and Sirius asked Harry to follow them to Sirius's office. _Finally, we get to the bottom of this._ He thought to himself.

            Sirius seated himself behind his desk, Harry and Dumbledore took chairs near to him, and Dumbledore reached inside his robes for a small leather pouch. He held it out to Harry. "Sour?"

            Harry blinked. "I – I'm sorry Professor, but what?"

            Dumbledore smiled to himself "Sour, Harry. It's a muggle candy that is really quite amazing." 

            Harry smiled and relaxed into his chair realizing what Dumbledore was up to. He reached in and found a small oddly-shaped hard candy, and popped it into his mouth. The burst of sour made his eyes water slightly, but the initial shock wore off and it tasted quite pleasant.

            "Wha…" he managed to get out.

            "The company's name is Callard and Bowser; they are purveyors of some of the most shocking muggle candies you can imagine. They even come in the cleverest tins." Dumbledore smiled to Harry and popped one in his mouth. 

            Sirius looked at them both and relaxed a bit. "Well now that the tension is gone, let's discuss this Harry."

            "Your father asked an awful lot of questions I was not ready to answer."

            "But you did, didn't you?" Harry said looking at Sirius knowingly.

            "Well, perhaps I should start with me finding out it was not you in your bed this morning." He leaned back in his chair, and twirled his wand in his fingers.

**_That morning:_**

            "James?"

            "Well who in the bloody hell did you expect to find in my bed you prat." James Potter reached for a discarded towel on the stone floor. "Stone floor? Padfoot, where in the hell…" His eyes met Sirius for the first time and he fully registered the people around him.

            "Sirius? What in the hell happened to you? Lily are you ok?" He looked at Ginny, and froze. "You – you're not Lily." He reached for the wand at the bedside and leveled it at Ginny. "Who are you? Where's my wife? _Where is my son?_"

            "James, calm down a second, and I can answer some of your questions, but please, put Harry's wand down." 

Ginny moved forward with her hands out. "Mr. Potter, please listen to Sirius. I – I'm worried about Harry, and we need to get him back."

A knot formed in James's brow and Sirius let out the breath he was holding. He knew the look so well. James was trying to think through something and was having a hard time getting his mind around it. "It's ok James. I'll explain what I can old friend."

Things seemed to click in his mind. His eyes shifted to each person in the room. Finally, they flicked downward to the wand. "Harry's wand?" He looked up at Sirius. "Harry has a wand?"

"All Hogswarts students do Prongs; you've not been out of school _that_ long."

"I'm in Hogwarts aren't I?"

"You were always the quick one." Sirius chuckled. He turned to Seamus. "Finnegan, go get Professor Lupin and hurry."

"_Professor_? Remus is on staff?" then he took in the robes Sirius was wearing. "And you too! Good lord they must be hard up for instructors. Sirius old man, you _must_ take better care of yourself, you look like you've been in Azkaban since I saw you last." He smiled at his own joke, but caught something in Sirius's eyes.

"Oh god Sirius, no – why would they send you there?" Concern laced his voice as he reached for his friend. "How long Sirius?"

"Twelve years James." 

"I'm so sorry Sirius." James pulled Sirius into a warm embrace and held his friend. 

The broke apart and a smile broke across James's face. "So tell me about Harry, I want to know everything, like who these people are, and why are they at Hogwarts?"

Sirius smiled warmly, "James he's so much like you at times and other times more like Lily. He plays Quidditch –" 

"Well of course he does, Lily has threatened to hex me if I get him a broom before he's ten." James beamed "Between you and I old friend, I already have one coming, it'll be here in seven months." James winked conspiratorially. I was hoping it would be here for his birthday, but an early Christmas present will be fine! Well, you know that already, so how does he like the broom?" 

Hermione gasped, and turned away. Ron moved to her. 

"What, you don't like Quiddich?" James snorted. "Who's the stuck up-" 

"_James_" Sirius hushed him "I'd like to introduce to you Harry's best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. They've been inseparable since the first year."

"Oh," James said shaking their hands "Well you two know who I am then." He smiled benignly at them. 

Ron couldn't help looking puzzled. "I take it you are Harry's father then. You look just like the pic- oof. Hey! What was _that_ for?" Herione's elbow was just extracting itself from his ribs.

"Mr. Potter, it's a pleasure." Hermione fairly beamed charm at him. "Ron can be a bit of a prat at times. He means he hardly recognizes you." She glared sharply at Ron. "We of course have met you before _isn't that right Ron_?"

"Erm, yeah – of course." He was warily watching her elbow.

Ginny advanced then, clasping his hand in hers. "I'm Ginny Weasley, I'm Harry's girlfriend. It's a real pleasure Mr. Potter."

James grinned. "A better choice I could not have made myself."

"Sirius, I'd like to talk to Dumbledore, can we go see him quickly? I'm not sure how long I have here." 

"Sure James, come with me. Ron, tell Professor Lupin to meet us in Professor Dumbledore's office." Sirius opened the door and waved James out.

"What in the bloody hell are _trolls_ doing here?" they hear James exclaim.

The door closed and the Companions let out a weary breath. "Ron you insufferable git! How could you say something like that? He'll become curious, and he mustn't find out anything about the future." Hermione chided him.

"Something he said isn't making sense." Ginny said. "He said he got Harry a broom, but it's too late for his birthday, which is the end of July, in seven months it'll be early for Christmas. So I'm assuming the broom is due to be delivered in November some time." 

"After the attack." Ron said quietly. "All I can think about is how things would have been different if Harry's parents had lived. He'd have been brought up properly."

A little less than an hour later, Dumbledore, Remus, Sirius, and James returned to the common room. 

"All those people thought I was Harry." He seemed quite dumbfounded. "Harry must be a popular young man in school."

"That is putting it mildly James." Dumbledore said softly. "Your son is a bit of a hero."

"You don't send too many owls home I hope? Lily would kill me if he followed in my footsteps." 

Dumbledore looked at James for a long moment and sighed. "No James, I have never had occasion to send you or Lily an owl about Harry."

"So where do we live Sirius?" James asked suddenly.

"Well, that's a bit complicated James." Remus said 

"No, Mooney, it's not." James's voice had become soft. "Lily and I are dead, aren't we?"

Remus dropped his wand he had been twisting in his fingers.

"It's all making sense now. You almost had me fooled, but Mr. Weasley there was the key, he'd never seen me before." He pointed to Sirius "You were in Azkaban for twelve years. Why? Where is Peter?" He noticed the pained expression pass over Sirius's face. 

"He – he got away James. You convinced me to make him the secret keeper James, I – I was so sure it was Remus who had leaked to Voldemort, so we changed the secret keeper to Peter, who ran right straight to Voldemort and gave him the information. Harry made it out alive with just a scar, and I chased Peter down. He made it look like I had turned to Voldemort, and then used some spell he killed a dozen muggles and cut off his own finger.

"He transformed into a rat and hid out with the Weasley's. They didn't know they kept him as a pet."

Ron shuddered with the memory "It's all true Mr. Potter."

"Harry has been living with the Dursley's under the protection of the _Fidelitus_ all this time."

"When?" James looked at his friend levelly.

"Holloween night." Sirius said sighing heavily.

"This Halloween?" Sirius nodded sadly. He sat down, and took a deep breath. "Tell me what happened."

Remus shuffled forward and sat beside his friend. "Halloween is the full moon James, I couldn't be in Godric's Hallow, so Sirius was staying with you-"

**_Godric's Hallow – Halloween Noon_**

"Remus, are you sure about this?" James asked.

"Yes James, for the last time, tonight is the full moon; I can't be around Harry then." He smiled down at the young man trying hard to walk, "and besides, we all know what has to happen tonight."

            "Alright Moony, be careful my friend, things are unfortunately progressing on schedule. I'll miss you two, more than anything else, I'll miss my dearest friends." James wrapped an arm around them both.

            "It felt like a game, you know?" Sirius said stroking the handlebars of his motorcycle. "Like it was all desperately far in the future, and here we are."

            James looked up at his dearest friends. "'It's the choices we make in life…' I think I finally understand Dumbledore."

            Sirius snorted. "Oh gods, we are in trouble."

            "Look, leave Godric's Hollow James. Take Lily and Harry and run. Dumbledore will give you asylum in Hogwarts if nothing else." Remus pleaded with his friend.

            "I can't Moony. If we change anything it could affect everything." James said simply, kicking a rock with his booted toe.

            "Dammit James, you can't just give up!" Sirius burst out. "To hell with 'the future' I'll be god damned if I am going to let you and Lily die tonight!"

            "You will Sirius; you have to be around for Harry. I – I'm not meant to be there." Tears slid down his face. "Isn't that right my young man?" He was holding Harry now in his arms. 

Harry cocked his head sideways. "Da" 

            James choked. "God, I wish he had not done that." He sank to the ground and wept. "Sirius, take Remus, get out of here."

            He stood dusting off his pants, picked up Harry and walked into the house leaving his two friends standing there.

            Sirius got on the motorcycle, and motioned Remus to join him. "Are you going to let him do this damn fool thing Sirius?"

            "Hell no. I'm taking you to the Forbidden Forest, and then I'm coming back here straight away. James and Lily are _not_ facing that bastard alone." Remus looked at his lap thinking. 

            "What about the future Sirius?"

            "Great future, you are hard up and can't get work, and I spent the next twelve years rotting in Azkaban, I can't think of a better future for myself." He glared at Remus "You are getting cold feet, aren't you?"

            "Sometimes," Remus said slowly "the right thing to do is the hardest."

            Sirius looked at him. "You think we should let this happen? Damn you Remus those three people are _my bloody family!_ No one has ever treated Sirius Black with one tenth the respect Lily and James do! What the hell kind of godfather let's himself be put in Azkaban?"

            "Sometimes," Remus repeated "sometimes the hardest thing you can do is to make sure everything is set to rights."

            "So you think this is _right_? It's ok for Harry to be locked in a bloody closet, for you to suffer in poverty always second guessing yourself, and me to get locked in that hell hole? Who says it's the right bloody future anyway? Why can't mine be right where we keep fighting, and find a way to destroy Voldemort once and for all? What in the hell is wrong with that future?"

            "Because Sirius Black, it's not the right path." They turned to a woman standing behind them wearing a pale blue cloak, the hood pulled up.

            "Who are you? More importantly, what do you know about all this?" Sirius had his wand trained on her.

            "Honestly Mr. Black, my name is of no consequence, you neither know of me nor would you or anyone else recognize my name." She walked over to them, and looked at him squarely. "However, the information I have will maintain something. Your friend Mr. Lupin already knows, if Voldemort isn't gravely injured tonight young Mr. Potter will never defeat him." The woman lowered her cloak's hood revealing long black hair, and emerald green eyes, Sirius placed her at twenty and considered her quite attractive.

            "Harry's just a baby!" Sirius sputtered.

            "You have met an older, far more powerful form of Harry Potter, Mr. Black, and you know it. That Harry Potter is a product of your decisions tonight. Without the tragedy about to unfold tonight in this house, Harry Potter will never learn his true strength and destiny. He will never be able to defeat Tom Riddle, ensuring the peace for generations." 

            "So what's wrong with my future huh? Where we fight. We know Voldemort is going to be _here_ tonight. We can set a trap, ambush him as he tries to kill Lily and James. Harry can have a _normal life dammit_!"

            She seemed to contemplate this a moment. "Sirius, you don't know what you are asking, do you?" She sighted. "Harry was right; you will need to be shown." She offered her hand to Sirius and Remus. "Now let's see what the next fifteen years are like, if you 'stop' Riddle tonight."

            They watched in horror as images flowed before them. War broke out the next day, full-scale war. They had not been strong enough to stop the attack. Lily, having a false sense of security never cast the spell to protect Harry. They fled to Hogwarts and were indeed given asylum, as Sirius had expected. At five Harry watched his mother being brutally beaten and raped by Death Eaters, his father dying in a last ditch effort to protect his son and wife. 

            Captured, and tortured, Harry eventually snaps, and becomes feral, the Death Eaters laugh, and release him on the world, power surges from Harry make it necessary for them to divert much needed forces from the defense to hunt down and destroy him. He's captured after slaughtering an entire family of wizards. Sirius will one day remember this vision; all of the wizards had red hair.

With that she turned and began to walk away. "Heed the warning gentlemen." 

            She turned a corner, and neither of them saw her again.

            Sirius settled back into the seat of his motorcycle. "Old crone." He looked at Remus "let's get you out of here." He sighed and looked one last time at the house of his friends, and started the motorcycle. Within minutes, the Potter house was a small dot dwindling in the distance.

**_Hogwarts_**

            James looked into his hands they had been fidgeting with the wand in his hands, Harry's wand. His son was still not talking, nor walking. He crawled and made messes, and yet here he was holding the wand of a very powerful wizard, his son. 

            Suddenly the wand got hot, he felt it pull, and vanish.

            "Oh god, Harry's in trouble." Ron said looking furtively about. 

            "No, actually, Ron" Remus said staring at the wisp of smoke the only reminder of Harry's wand "he's actually training it on Peter right now. Threatening him with violence, and of the type we all can see in Harry. Peter of course is about to wet himself, and Sirius and I just realized that it wasn't James that we overheard talking to Lily." He glanced up at Ginny and started to laugh.

            Sirius looked at Remus, and then to Ginny who was looking even more confused, soon the two friends were out of breath, and Ginny was staring at them indignantly. "_What pray tell is so damn funny?_"

            James smiled at Ginny, "You even have Lil's temper." He stood and whispered in Sirius's ear. Remus relayed the conversation as he remembered it to James in whispers.

            "_You three are insufferable!_" Ginny stormed out of the room, they heard a door slam from the dormitories.

            "Well, Harry has a handful now doesn't he?" James said looking in the direction of the dorm rooms. "I'll just go have a chat with her." 

            "There goes the bravest of all of us." Remus chuckled. 

            Ron looked quizzically at Remus "Sorry Professor Lupin, but I don't understand."

            "Ron my lad, that man would calmly walk into the greatest danger, but if Lily even so much as disapproved of anything we did, that man turned to jelly."

            Sirius shook his head sadly. "It's true Ron, that boy's only weakness in the world was Lily until Harry came along. God it must have torn him up inside knowing everything like that."

            "So what happened then that's so funny?"

            "Well we were downstairs, and young Mr. Potter had just finished filling his nappy, so being the good godfather I am, I was taking him to his mother to change." Sirius smiled. 

            Remus chuckled "We all came along to tease James because he wouldn't touch a dirty nappy with a four foot pole. Anyhow, we come up the stairs with Peter holding Harry and we hear what we assumed was James telling Lily how much he loved someone named Ginny." 

            "You can only imagine our shock," Sirius continued "Our friend was telling the mother of his child he was going to marry someone else! Well, so I spout '_I get dibs on what's left of you when Lily's done.'_ And 'James' turns around reaching for his wand. Turns out it's not James at all, though if he closed his eyes and covered the scar you'd never know the difference." 

            "So here we three are staring down a _very_ powerful wizard, who is trying to summon his wand, and suddenly there's a _crack_ and a blue flash of light, and there's Harry's wand shooting into his hand."

            The two were leaning against one another for support, tears of laughter rolling down their faces. 

            "What do you mean he's going to marry her?" Ron asked getting bent.

            "Well Lily had this way with making men flustered. No doubt Harry didn't realize it until Lily decided to figure out if this Ginny was good enough for her little boy." Sirius said, "its then that Harry threatened Peter, how did it go Remus, '_I saved your miserable, worthless hide once, and if I ever see it again consequences be damned I'll make you pay.'_ Had quite the lasting effect on Peter I'll tell you."

            "I am sure he'll talk to you about it once he's clear on it himself Ron." Hermione said reasonably.

            James came back into the common room, a slightly abashed Ginny following him. She occupied a chair near the fire and stared dully into it. James sat down and began writing. 

            Sirius moved over to him, "I'm sorry old friend, but I have to go. I can feel the pull now. I must write this."

            He wrote furiously on the paper, trying to put everything he felt into the short missive to his son. He signed his name to the paper, and there was a brief blurring of the form of James Potter, when he looked up, it was Harry.          

            "And there you have it." Sirius finished off the story. 

            Harry sat back in contemplation, and re-read his father's letter again. _This was going to take some thought. _"I need some time."

            Harry walked to his room and lay on his bed; he was looking around the room trying to find a focus point before he lost himself in the swirl of emotion. His eyes lighted on a small cardboard box. He lifted it up, and placed it on his bed.

            The box looked no different from when his uncle handed it to him, dusty, and still sealed with spell-o-tape. Using his wand, he broke the seal. Inside was an overlarge envelope, a small stack of books, and a cloth bag about the size of a bag of marbles.

            He flipped the envelope over written in a neat handwriting on the front was _Case File 34576 Dept. of Magical Law Enforcement_. Why hadn't he opened it before now? It had remained sealed all this time. Had he simply been afraid of the contents?

            With trembling hands he opened the envelope; a single sheet of parchment stamped with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement contained a rather dry record of the night of October 31st 1980. He looked at the document signed on November 1st 1980 by Alistair Moody. 

            A silver chain inside held a trio of rings and a locket that Harry first thought was silver, but on closer inspection appeared to be white gold. Silver would have tarnished in all the years in the basement of Privet Drive after all.

            The tiny catch on the locket was easy to open, and inside was a muggle picture of himself as a newborn. Harry smiled and held the jewelry in his had while he read Moody's report on the death of his parents. 

            Setting the envelope and report aside Harry lifted out the first book there was a slight amount of fire damage to the covers, but the books all seemed intact. Each simply had a month and year on the cover.

            He opened July, 1979

_July 1st, 1979_

_            Lily isn't up to writing, so I'm taking over for her until after the child is born. It appears that everyone's favorite villain has taken to going after not just muggle born and half-breeds, but today he attacked a wizardling couple. Nice people, but they acted a bit funny when we asked them questions about why they were where they were. Like they had something odd to hide. No matter really, Sirius told me later on he thinks that he remembers one of their son's in first year as we left. Remus reckons he could find more about them this weekend. Such an odd group of people too. _

_            Well Dumbledore has asked us to keep track of anything odd we see, and THEY were odd. _

(an ink stain obliterates a portion of the text and page here)

_Bloody hell! That boy has a lot to answer for! He just broke my latest project by kicking Lily as she was looking at it. Now I'll have to rebuild it tonight._

(a different handwriting, more feminine continues)

_If you are reading this, it means your father and I are not here to explain everything to you that we wanted. Don't listen to him about breaking anything; he's just grumpy because I won't let Sirius and James go play on their brooms today. He has to learn to stay home and be a big boy now and then._

_We will keep this journal until you are born, then we are packing it away, and starting a new one. We honestly don't know why Dumbledore asked us to do this, but, well it's hard to explain Dumbledore until you meet him. Some times it's as if he knows everything, and other times I have to not think about him being completely barking mad._

_At any rate, you are tap dancing on my bladder, and it's making it VERY hard to sit in one place a write. Besides we entered enough for today._

He glanced through the nine journals. _One for each month._ Each entry was more or less a typical day in the life of James and Lily Potter, several hours later the door to the dorm opened, and Ginny came in. 

"Harry, are you ok?" her concern strained her voice. She gasped at the look on his face; he was smiling though tears were flowing freely down his face.

"Look Gin, it's my first nine months." The small journals were laid out before him. "My mum and dad wrote all the time my mum was pregnant."

Ginny picked up on and leafed through it. "Wow Harry, this is amazing. Where did you find this?"

Harry smiled briefly and said "When I left the Dursley's Vernon gave it to me, but I was so excited to come see you that I honestly forgot and stuffed it into my trunk."

He closed the box, and dried his eyes. "Well enough of the past," Ginny heard his voice harden slightly, the soft tones he used with her normally vanishing as he once again took the mantle of leadership on his shoulders. "I need to talk to Sirius, Remus and Dumbledore."

Ginny moved to hold him, at first he was stiff, but the façade cracked, and he molded to her, his head lying on her shoulder, and the tears flowed again. 

She lifted her face from his shoulder and smiled. "You don't really need to talk to anyone right now, do we?" desire burned across her eyes. 

His breath caught in his throat. "No, I don't suppose there is any reason to leave right away…" their lips met, and they held one another making small talk. 

Harry was talking about _them_ again, marriage, kids, and a house. Ginny wondered if they'd ever get to that point. 

As they talked Harry noticed the rings and the locket. "Ginny."  He noticed she was wearing the jumper her mother made for him last year.

"Yes?" she was looking at him innocently, a small smile twitching at the corners of her lips. 

"Would you marry me?" he asked simply. 

Ginny's world came to a halt. Her mouth opened but no words could come out.

"Not right now of course," had said "but after all this is over, when we don't have to hide, and worry anymore. We don't need to buy a house, or have children, but I do know that when I think of the future I could not live if you weren't in it."

Fresh tears flooded her eyes. "Harry, why are you asking me this now?"

He looked at her fully. "Well, because I am afraid if I don't ask you, you will think I only want you for sex."

She picked up a sock and threw it at him. "You pig!" she laughed and launched more wadded clothing in his direction.

After a short time, they managed to regain control of themselves; Ginny slid into his arms and kissed him deeply, "Yes Harry Potter, I will marry you one day, when the future is not all about how long until Voldemort finds us. Until then, you just have to deal with the sex."

            They heard a noise, Ron was glaring at them. "_What sex?_" 

            "Ron, sod off." Ginny laughed lightly and fairly skipped out of the room after kissing Harry on the cheek. 

            Ron turned to Harry. "Look Ron, it was a joke. Gods man, you think we come in here and shag ourselves silly whenever your back is turned." _Well, not _every _chance anyhow._

            Ron seemed to visibly relax. "Well, no not really." He looked back up at his friend. "So what's this about you marrying my sister?"

            Harry had been growing tired of this. Ron had been questioning him about every move he made in his relationship with Ginny. _Well, one way or another it ends here._ He stood and squared off to Ron. "You and I are mates, right Ron?"

            Ron nodded slowly watching Harry warily.

            "Right, of course we are." Harry began pacing, "so you understand when I need to talk to my best mate about something right?"

            Ron nodded again.

            "Of course, of course –"Harry stopped dead and turned to face Ron again. "So you'll also understand that there are some things you just don't talk about, right?"

            "For example?"

            Harry's eyes locked onto Ron's, his eyes shone like green ice, and the tone of his voice was no warmer, "Like anything to do with your sister and me. Period. Am I making myself _perfectly_ clear?"

            Ron took a step back the force in Harry's tone and mannerisms required he do one of two things, swing or retreat. Ron could feel Harry's presence. He felt the raw power building drawing from around him, through him. He looked down at his feet. "Yeah, I understand." 

            He felt Harry's hand drop on to his shoulder, and in a normal voice "Excellent, I'm glad we had this talk Ron." Harry moved past Ron and followed Ginny back into the common room.


	8. Chapter 7

**_Chapter 7_**

****

            November slowly gave way to December, and the students' minds began turning to the winter break, and Christmas. For once, Harry was not staying in Hogwarts, but rather he was heading to his real home; The Burrow.

            An excitement and thrill passed through him every time he thought of it. Classes were tough, but there was never homework, just practical and hands on training. Advanced Potions would give way to Advanced Transfiguration, and Medi-Wizard Basics at the new term. Excitement in the Telisin common room was at an all time high when they returned from their morning run to see a tree and decorations in their rooms and common room. 

            "Bloody hell!" Harry heard Ron exclaim, as they entered the toilets after winning first shower rights. "The paper is _green_!"

            Harry laughed and looked at the offending tissue Ron was holding, he peeked in the next stall. "This one is red."

            "I swear if you make any comment about it matching my hair, I'll kill you Potter." Ron pulled a face at Harry. "Someone needs to have a talk with the house-elves."

            Harry stripped down and walked into the showers. Still grinning at Ron's apparent disgust over the decorations, he decided to enjoy a nice long hot shower. Secretly it was payback for yesterday, it had been snowing extra hard, and the women had won, leaving the men to shiver wet and cold in the common room, trying to warm by the fire. 

            As the hot water ran over him, he enjoyed the sensation of warming up. "You look like you are enjoying that shower _way_ too much Harry." Justin's broke his reverie.

            Harry's eyes popped open and he realized he'd been standing there thinking about… _Oh hell! _He started thinking about potions, running through ingredients in his mind. 

            Ron came in then chatting with Dean about the Quiddich season. Harry turned to face the wall still trying desperately to ease his discomfort. 

            "Hey Ron, I think Potter there is going camping." 

            Ron looked up confused. "What?"

            "Justin, don't make me have to hurt you." Harry growled.

            Dean snickered, "Looks like Potter has been having daydreams about a certain red-head."

            Ron looked confused a second and then to Harry's horror, turned and left the shower. He heard the door open slightly. "Oi! Ginny! Harry seems to have need of you." He yelled into the corridor.

            Harry rested his head on the wall. _Remain calm, breathe easy…_

            The door opened a crack and Harry heard Ginny's voice. "Harry, are you alright?" Ginny was the most gifted with medical talent seen in a while, and had assumed Harry was injured. 

            "Yes, your brother and the rest of my gender are being total gits." He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around himself heading for the door. Without thinking he opened the door completely and stepped into the hallway. 

            Ginny stood before him with her mouth open, and her face growing redder by the second, her eyes were on his…

            "_Bloody hell!_" He bolted into the room he shared with Ron, and dove into his bed the towel hadn't covered him as he had intended it to. He had stood there in front of Ginny with his manhood hanging out. 

            _Great, just perfect Potter. You stand in the hallway with your willy swaying in the breeze. I swear I'm killing Ron._

            He got up and began getting dressed, and was most of the way done when Ron opened the door, holding his sides in silent laughter; tears were streaming down his face.

            "Well, I'm glad _someone_ thought it was funny. Arsehole." Harry pushed past him and opened the door. Something made him look at the door. The brass plaque with his name on it had been altered to _Harry 'John Thomas' Potter_. 

            "Bloody bastards." Harry muttered and walked out to the common room. 

            That morning they entered the potions room to find Snape sitting against the front of his desk. "You are all to head to Room 345. From there you'll return to your common room. This completes the Advanced Potions segment of your training. Ms. Weasley, you'll be glad to hear you have passed the requirements to be a Medi-Witch, 3rd class. You will skip Medi-Basics and will act as an advisor to the instructor."

            Snape actually looked pleased about something; Harry stood up and walked to Snape, extending his hand. "Professor, I'd like to thank you for these classes." He kept his gaze steady on Snape.

            Severous took the young man's hand and shook it, wondering if this was some prank like his father would have done, but Harry seemed honest and appreciative. 

            Harry turned and left the room after gathering his possessions. The others followed suit, shaking Snape's hand thanking him and gathering their possessions and leaving.

            They dropped off their equipment and hurried to Room 345. There they found a wizard with a small box and a stack of papers. "Good morning, I'm James Arcvold. I'll be the proctor for your exam today." He looked thoroughly bored. 

            "Mr. Arcvold, what exam, exactly?" Harry asked sounding concerned. No one had mentioned any test.

            "Why your Apparation exams of course." He looked mildly irritated. "Of course you are all getting your permits today."

            Harry looked at Hermione who shrugged; they looked at Ron and Ginny, and saw them gaunt-faced. "I don't completely understand what's happening, or why?"

            With Hermione looking panic-struck, Ron addressed the proctor. "Sir, could we have a moment, please?" Arcvold gathered the parchments and took them into the hall. 

            Hermione was wide-eyed with fear. "I HAVEN'T STUDIED!" 

            Ron smirked and a glint caught in his eyes. The smirk melted into a look of shock, but not before Ginny caught it, and mirrored the look of shock on Ron's face. "Hermione! What do you mean you didn't study?" she asked innocently "This is quite possibly _the_ most important test in your career as a witch!" She sounded scandalized.

            Hermione's eyes began to resemble the eyes of an owl Harry noted the feeling of panic already rising in his own throat. _Are they joking? They must be, if it were this important someone would have said something._ A streak of evil delight ran through him. "Hermione," He said softly, calmly. "You mean you didn't read the book on Disapparating?"

            Hermione's face blanched white. "I'm going to be sick." She sat down on the chair heavily, and dropped her face into her hands.

            Ginny whispered in his ear "Harry Potter, I never knew you had it in you. You know damn well there is no book on Disapparating." 

            He grinned back "And you know a LOT more than you are saying."

            She smiled at him "The 'test' is just that it tests how long it's going to take you to learn it, he's here to teach us to Disapparate, and we'll have our temps so we can practice. That's what the box is, it tests how much power we have, and gets a clear signature for Ministry records."

            Harry waved Ron over. "So do we make her sweat out the exam, or do we tell her?"

            Ron looked at his miserable looking girlfriend. "I say make her suffer." He grinned back at the couple. "She has been acting a bit too know-it-all lately. Besides, he was about to tell us anyway."

            They nodded, and Ron opened the door to let the proctor in. He looked at Hermione and asked her if she were all right, Hermione shakily indicated it would pass; she just wasn't as prepared as she had wanted to be. 

Arcvold shrugged and continued with his lecture. "Now as you all know, there is nothing to prepare for this test." He looked pointedly at Hermione, whose mouth flopped open. Her head swiveled to the three sitting beside her, and Ron withered under her gaze, which only caused Harry and Ginny to break out in laughter. 

"If you please!" Arcvold looked scandalized that the young men and women were not taking this seriously. The four straightened up, attempting to appear as if everything were normal.

"I'll call you up by name, and you'll place your wand hand, with your wand in the box, and speak the words engraved on top of it. This will give us a known magical signature, and then we'll proceed with the instructions on Disapparation. Any questions?"

As if scripted, Hermione's hand shot up. "Yes Ms?"

 "Granger." Hermione said matter-of-factly "how are we to Disapparate on Hogwarts grounds? There are wards…"

"Against Disapparating _through_ the grounds, not _on_ the grounds. You can practice outside moving from place to place, but not inside the castle or on and off the grounds themselves."

Hermione looked peeved. "Looks like _Hogwarts: A History_ failed you again, eh Hermione?" Ron asked innocently.

"Stuff it Weasley." Her reply was cold. 

Ron got a knowing smirk and whispered something in Hermione's ear. She turned scarlet, but suddenly was a lot more amiable to Ron.

Harry glanced over at Ginny, who returned his questioning gaze.

"Well if that's all the questions then." He began calling them up one at a time. They placed their hands with wand into the box and repeated six words. When they said each word, they felt a tingle along their wand arm. 

When they were done, he handed them each a scroll. "This licenses you to use magic any time, and is a temporary permit to practice Disapparation. When you are ready to take the test, I will return and on a success, I'll sign the document making you a full wizard or witch." 

Harry watched this man give the speech; he was detached, and hadn't even really made notice of Harry more than a name and a check mark. 

"Now if you are ready," He pulled up a stool and droned on about Disapparation. Harry was instantly reminded of Professor Binns.

"Gods, Binns has a brother." Harry heard Ron mutter under his breath. Even Hermione chuckled at that comment.

            The lecture went on for two hours, and ended with them walking outside and practicing Disapparating for another two hours. They finished, and he nodded warmly. "A few weeks practice and you'll be ready for your test."

            The next few weeks they were encouraged to practice as much as they could. "Disapparation is one of the key defenses you can have as a wizard or witch." Dumbledore had said. "With your raw powers, you may even be able to make short hops during combat without it causing you to tired rapidly."

            The two weeks seemed to fly by. Dumbledore assigned the students to their train schedule, and Harry noticed that the Telisin house was not listed. He brought it up that morning to Sirius. 

            "Well what if we don't pass?" Harry argued. The decision was simple; the Telisin students would Disapparate from Hogsmeade. 

            "You will." Sirius said not even looking up from the paperwork on his desk.

            "So you are going to be at the Weasleys for the holiday then?" 

            "Yes, Harry. Remus and I will be a day behind you, we have a few things to settle here first, and then we'll Disapparate to The Burrow, and spend the rest of the holiday there." He looked up smiling. "What, you thought I'd miss Christmas with my godson?"

            "Well, you two are always busy it would seem. Not that I'm complaining, I really do understand." 

            Sirius thought about that. "Come back tonight, bring Ron, Hermione and Ginny, we'll spend the evening together." Sirius jotted a note on a piece of parchment and banished it to Remus' desk. "Let's see what the old man has to say." He grinned wolfishly.

            Harry chuckled and left the office, with a light heart and determination he returned to the common room. "Sirius assures me we'll all pass." He said as he entered the room.

            Dumbledore stood from his chair by the fire. "I am sure Professor Black is correct, you already far exceed the requirements for single person Disapparation. I was hoping to get you dual-Disapparation licenses in case of danger."

            _So that's what all those odd exercises were all about_. Harry thought considering the strange way they had been moving extra weight from point to point.

            "Today, your classes are all cancelled. You'll be Disapparating with two people today." He smiled, and went to leave the room, and paused with his hand over the door handle. "I trust this does not come as too much of a shock and disappointment?"

            They all shook their heads and got ready for the day. By noon the students were exhausted, but could accurately Disapparate with an extra person and land well within the target. The next morning they were heading to Hogsmeade, and their Disapparation test.

            The proctor was again Arcvold, "Today, I will be grading you on your ability to Disapparate with, and without a second person. In order to accurately test your ability to Disapparate with an unconscious person, we will be stunning my assistant." He gestured to a wizard who came with him. "Mr. Creechek will be stunned, you will them Disapparate with him to the point noted on the parchment I will hand you. At that point he will be revived, and you will both them Disapparate back to here."

            With that, he handed them each a rolled up parchment with a wax seal. "Do not break the seal until it is your turn. There will be no discussions during the exam period."

            "Bones, Lisa." Arcvold said tonelessly. He then leveled his wand and stunned his assistant. Lisa ran to his side, and broke open the scroll. Read the information, and placed her hand on his wrist, and lifted him onto her shoulder, and vanished. 

            Harry had a knot of anxiety. His mind flashed back to the previous spring. _Wand's out you reckon?_ He looked at Arcvold with suspicion. 

            Dumbledore appeared just then, and Harry walked over to him to discuss the issue. "Potter! I said nothing gets discussed during the exam period." 

            Harry glared at Arcvold and said "No one else Disapparates until I talk to the Headmaster." He turned to the remainder of the Companions. "Train your wands on him and don't let him move."

            He jogged to Dumbledore. "Professor! Something is wrong here; I don't like how this feels." 

            Dumbledore looked at Harry curiously. "How what feels Harry?"

            "This whole Disapparation test. It just feels wrong. I don't like not knowing where my people are."

            Dumbledore walked over to Arcvold and had a whispered conversation with him. "It's all right Harry."

            "No, it's not all right. No one else leaves here until I am satisfied someone knows where we will be."

            Dumbledore noticed the wands trained on Arcvold. "Harry, I understand your concern, if it will be acceptable to James, I will read your destination before any more of you go."

            Harry whispered to Ron who nodded and tapped Dean and Seamus on the shoulders. They followed him to the target area and waited. Susan and Arcvold's assistant appeared shortly, only to be met with three wands pointing at them. Ron said simply "Password?"

            At "Voldemort", they lowered their wands and smiled at Susan. Harry outlined the basic plan. To them, Dumbledore would know where they are going, and Harry chose the next password.

            This event seemed to upset the plans Arcvold had for getting an early lunch, and he began getting peevish over "all this cloak and dagger mumbo-jumbo." Which he had taken to muttering darkly about under his breath.

            The morning slid to afternoon as Ron finished with his test. Arcvold signed the documents he had given them earlier and proclaimed them fully registered, albeit paranoid, wizards and witches pending their completion of studies at Hogwarts.

            Dumbledore treated them to a late lunch at the three Broomsticks, and the band headed back to Hogwarts in high spirits. They entered to see quite a commotion in the main hall. Students were clustered around the main school board.

            Dumbledore smiled and said, "I decided to have a New Years Ball at the school this year," to the young men and women around him. "It's for the day after you all return to the castle, formal dress, and dining." 

            With that he wandered off towards his office.

            The next morning was complete chaos in the main hall as the ten Companions took the first coaches to Hogsmeade. From just outside the gates, they were Disapparating home. Ron, Ginny and Harry were heading to the Burrow; all others were heading to their own homes. 

            Harry had released Hedwig and told her to meet him at the Burrow earlier, and now pulled his levitated trunk behind him, along with the others. They said their goodbyes, and Harry turned to Ginny. "See you at home Gin." He smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

            She smiled at him and hugged Hermione. "I'll see you Christmas Eve then?" She asked her friend.

            "Yes, Mum and Dad want to come over to see my 'other family' as they put it." She smiled warmly and hugged Harry goodbye.

            "See you Ron, don't be long." Harry Disapparated followed shortly by Ginny, leaving Ron and Hermione standing in the snow staring at one another quietly for a few seconds.

            "I love you Ron." Hermione said to him softly, holding his hands in hers. "I'll write, and now that we can Disapparate, I'll stop by when things get dull and mum and dad need to go to work or something."

            Ron stared into her eyes bright with unshed tears, and managed to speak around the lump in his throat. "Yeah, I'll be by tonight, if I can." He released her hands and held her tight, not wanting to let go.

            "I had better be off, they are expecting to have to drive to King's Cross, and I want to catch them before they go." She kissed him one last time, and then turned, and Disapparated.

            Ron stared at the spot until the image in his eyes was gone. Sullenly, he too vanished.


	9. Chapter 8

**_Chapter 8_**

            Harry appeared outside, almost where he had expected, the long distance was never going to be his forte, he could tell. He sighed, and walked around the corner, Ginny was hugging Mr. Weasley, and Mrs. Weasley was looking about anxiously. She beamed a wide smile at Harry. "Happy Christmas Harry" she said laughing and folded him into a motherly hug "and welcome home."

            Harry hugged her back, knowing she was right. He _was_ home. "Thanks Mrs. Weasley." 

            Mr. Weasley pumped his arm and placed another 'round his shoulders. "Come on in! Come in! There's hot tea in the kitchen, and we are off to get the twins." 

            "Where's Ron?" Mrs. Weasley asked anxiously. 

            "Saying goodbye to Hermione, I'm afraid you may need to wait a bit." Ginny said.

            Molly's eyebrows shot up "Oh? Anything I should know then?"

            "A few things Mum, for one Harry and I are engaged, and I believe Ron will most likely ask Hermione over Christmas." Ginny beamed at her mother and removed her mitten to show Molly the ring.

            "I – I need to sit." Arthur and Ginny helped Molly into the house and sat her down. "You – you are only fourteen!" 

            "Mum, no. I'm twenty, and besides it's not like we are married. We are engaged." 

            "For quite some time, I might add." Harry added, placing his arm around Ginny's waist. 

            Molly looked to Arthur, who appeared quite stricken. Wordlessly, he nodded, seeming to know what Molly wanted. "Harry, d'you have a moment, son?"

            Harry looked slightly panic stricken, but nodded. He smiled weakly at Ginny, "Well then, tea anyone?" and followed Arthur into the kitchen.

            Arthur was setting cups on the table, and seemed to be in deep thought. "Blast, the water's gone cold." He murmured to himself. 

            Harry watched him pat his pockets looking for his wand, and smiled as he removed his own, and cast a heating charm on the pot.

            Arthur watched all this with bemusement. "Yes, well, that will do just fine. Now, Harry, d'you think you could bring down the tea?"

            Harry nodded and summoned the container of tea, and went about filling the strainer with the loose leaves. Arthur seemed to be occupied with something.

            "Harry, please sit." He gestured to a chair and Harry sat down looking to Arthur expectantly.

            "Now Harry, I – I know under normal circumstances that your parents would have had a chat with you by now, but, well I mean we all know that they couldn't. So, I – I mean Molly and I decided that we should have this talk with you."

            He looked up to see a somewhat bemused look on Harry's face, and something crossed his mind. "You have had this talk then?"

            "Oh depends on the version, but I am pretty sure I have."

            "Oh, of course, Sirius would have talked to you." Arthur's face showed signs of obvious relief.

            "Well, yes, but honestly, Sirius is hardly a good example to follow. He mostly talked about ways to not get caught." Harry said taking the strainer to the pot.

            Arthur's face drained slightly of color. _Oh I am so going to enjoy this._ Harry thought smiling to himself. "Of course Professor Dumbledore had something to say too, but it was mostly confusing."

            Harry was watching Arthur out of the corner of his eye, "So we asked Madame Pomfrey, and she gave us some excellent charms to use." Arthur's color has vanished. 

            "And then Remus Lupin added his two Knuts, and personally, I think that Remus and Sirius had their talk from the same person, who I am certain was my father." 

            "Bu – You didn't actually _do_ anything?" Arthur was looking a bit more relieved.

            "Mr. Weasley, I'm going to be quite frank about this. Ginny and I are engaged and yes we have been intimate, however we have been exceptionally careful, and we both intend on spending a lifetime together." Harry checked the temperature of the water, and satisfied with the contents began pouring the tea into the service that Arthur took down. 

            "Per – perhaps we should have Molly and Ginny join us." Arthur stood to call the two of them in.

            Harry stifled a laugh, as Arthur walked opened the door to find his wife and daughter laughing and carrying on like school children. "Tea is ready, and I think we are ready for the two of you."

            The two women followed Arthur back into the kitchen, and Molly turned to Arthur, "Are you ok dear? How did your talk go?"

            "Fi – fine Molly, but I fear it was a bit late." 

            Molly smiled broadly, and winked at Harry "I know, Ginny told me all about it, while I am not pleased, I am sure that the two of them will behave themselves. After all they are legally adults; we really have no say in the matter Arthur." 

            Arthur looked at his wife in mild surprise. He had expected Molly to be shocked and throw a fit. But here she was being quite logical about the whole thing. "ho are you, and what have you done with my wife?"

            Molly scowled and slapped him on the arm. "Come on Arthur we are going to be late getting Fred and George. Knowing those two, King's Cross will never be the same."

            Just then Ron came through the back door, "Lo, sorry I'm late, I – I ah, just wanted to makes sure everyone was off safely."

            Arthur looked at Harry, "Yes, well we must be off."

            Molly and Arthur vanished just then, with the clock showing them as 'Dangerously Close To Late'. 

Ron sat and sipped some tea. "I don't want to be here right now." He stood and vanished.

Harry smiled at Ginny. "Well, that went better than planned."

"Dad's an easy-going wizard, I'm sure it was just a shock with you being casual about everything."

"Oh there is _nothing_ casual about…"

"About what Harry?" came a male voice from behind him, sounding cool, yet poised.

Harry whirled around and found himself staring at Bill's wand. "Now, Harry I'm sure you were about to compliment _my sister_ and I'm sure it wasn't for anything _inappropriate_?"

_Think fast Potter, this is not Ron or the twins._ "Yes, actually Bill, I was about to tell your sister, _my fiancée_, that there is nothing casual about my feelings for her."

The wand vanished, and Bill grabbed Harry's hand and began shaking it "Welcome to the family Harry, this is terrific news!" his voice was warm and friendly as ever. "It's nice to have the second-best seeker Hogwarts has seen in the family." 

Harry smiled at Bill. "Naw, you've always been part of the family Bill, now the best seeker is joining too."

The three laughed and Bill sat down taking a cup of the tea. "Where's Ron?"

"The Grangers I reckon." Ginny said. "He actually made it fifteen minutes before Disapparating there." 

"So little Ron has a girlfriend." Bill looked smug. 

"Ron's not so little anymore you know." Ginny replied looking earnestly at her brother.

"Yeah, Dumbledore warned us all. Though to be honest, while Harry's grown quite a bit, you are not much different than before."  Harry choked on his tea. "Something on your mind Mr. Potter?" Bill asked looking at Harry's red face.

"Aaaah, no." Harry was mopping up the spill, and pouring himself another cup of tea.

Bill looked at Ginny again taking in young woman she had become. _So what had elicited… Oh no, not Ginny._ He turned to look at Harry his eyes darkening slightly. "So Harry, how long have you and Ginny been dating then?" 

Harry looked at Bill and they locked glares. "Since the end of last year. Ginny kept me company in the hospital after the Tri-Wizard affair." Unbidden the images fleeting past over his mind's eye, giving him a haunted look, that passed as rapidly as it had come.

Bill watched this with interest. "So Harry, I'm glad to see you have recovered from the incident with Cedric Diggory." He watched Harry carefully looking for something. 

This time the incident came back full force, Harry watched everything in agonizing detail. A soft voice broke him out of the memory. "Bill, stop it." 

He felt a pair of arms wrap around him in a comforting embrace. He felt out and could tell the woman holding him was Ginny. He relaxed into her, and let the memory fade. Whatever Bill had been looking for he had found it. He stood then, and walked towards the living room. "See you both then. Harry, when you have a moment, I'd like to talk to you; alone." 

"Well it seems I have caught the attention of your brother then." Harry muttered staring at the door Bill had closed behind him.

"You needn't deal with this alone Harry." Ginny said still holding him. Her voice was so comforting when he could feel it vibrate in her chest against his cheek. 

Harry shook himself mentally, and stood, kissing Ginny softly. "I'll catch you up in a while love. I need to talk to Bill."

He found Bill in the living room looking over his Firebolt. "Ok Bill, what can I do for you?"

Bill picked up his own broom and handed Harry's to him. "Come flying Harry. I always feel more myself when I can fly."

Harry had to agree, flying was the one thing about being a wizard that had truly defined him. No spell, potion or monstrous being compared to the simplicity of flight on a broom for him.

His hands closed over the handle of his broom, and he smiled and nodded to Bill. "Ok, yeah. Let's fly."

They kicked off and for several minutes they just flew, Harry saw a familiar look in Bill's eyes. The wild abandon and sheer joy of flying was evident in his face. _Ginny's right, Bill and I are a lot alike._ He let his mind wander, and his thoughts cleared up. 

"Are you sleeping with her?" The question came out of nowhere.

_Oh god, now what do I say. I need Ginny's help._ Harry panicked, and searched his mind for a clue. "Well that's a hell of a way to start a conversation." 

"I asked you a question Harry. Are you sleeping with Ginny? It's simple, requires a mere yes or no as an answer." His voice was calm; on the other hand Bill was a curse breaker, and a damn good one at that.

"Yes Bill. I am." Harry was amazed at two things: first he had admitted this to Bill, and second he had done it with a complete lack of shame or embarrassment. 

"I see, and is that why you are marrying her?"

Harry stopped his broom, and turned to glare at Bill. "If you have an issue with this Bill, let's settle this once and for all. No one in this entire world cares for me like Ginny does; no one. I have no idea what I did to deserve her, but whatever happened to cause it, I for one am bloody grateful. She is everything to me, and nothing, and no one is going to stand between us." His eyes had become hard and cutting, "that, Bill includes you." He turned his broom to the house and landed.

He was just dismounting when he felt Bill land beside him. "Good answer Potter; very good answer." He also dismounted the broom and preceded Harry into the house.

Ginny walked downstairs dressed in muggle jeans, and a jumper a few minutes after Harry and Bill entered the house. "Harry, please go change, and let's take a walk to Ottery St. Catchpole. I have a few things I need to pick up." Harry smiled at her, and headed upstairs to change. As he was heading to his room, he heard Ginny's voice "So _William_ what did you and Harry talk about?" Her voice was icy cold; Harry shuddered and climbed to his room to change.

He gave the siblings a bit of time, and made his way rather noisily down the stairs, and met with a somewhat disturbing sight. Ginny and Bill were glaring at one another, and Molly and Arthur were refereeing. Harry sat on the last steps and watched the ruckus. Oddly enough Molly was the one attempting to calm Bill, and Arthur was talking in low tones to his daughter. 

In the midst of this, Harry saw Ron pop in looking like the cat that ate the canary. He took one look around and settled in next to Harry. "So mate, looks like Ginny and Bill are bloody brassed off at one another. Do I want to know why?"

Harry grinned lopsidedly at Ron. "I highly doubt it; do you want to talk about where you've been for the last couple of hours?"

"Nope, not at all." Ron and Harry had come to the perfect solution. They didn't talk about It. 'It' being Harry's relationship with Ginny, and Ron's relationship with Hermione. By mutual consensus, the topic was forbidden, and they simply didn't talk about 'It' at all. As much as it frustrated the women, the two men found this to be a completely amiable compromise.

"So, you two are in muggle clothes. Are you walking into town then?" Ron asked him.

"Yeah, Ginny needs a few things, and reckoned the walk would be nice." 

Ron nodded "Well, I'm off to kip a bit, Herm- Disapparating kind of wore me out." Ron stood and headed upstairs to his room. 

            Harry suppressed a chuckle and watched his friend ascend the stairs before turning his attention back to the thick of the 'discussion' in front of him. He amused himself by transfiguring his cloak into a parka. 

            Finally he stood and cleared his throat handing Ginny her cloak, "Shall we then Gin?" She smiled weakly at him, and they headed out the door leaving Molly and Arthur talking to Bill.

            Then first half of their walk was mostly Ginny spouting off about Bill, and finally just outside the small village, her hand slid into his. They walked about the town making purchases here and there, and talking to themselves. 

            They had their parcels in hand and walking up to the house, when Ginny tugged on Harry's arm and when he turned to see what she needed she kissed him softly. "Thank you for listening and well, just being you." 

            Harry smiled at her, and they walked into The Burrow. 

            Bill was sitting in a chair thoughtfully reading a book, and Arthur beckoned to Harry and Ginny. They went into the kitchen where Molly sat with a plate of sandwiches and tea laid out for four.

            Arthur locked the doors and cast a silencing charm on the room. "So, we have a bit of a discussion to complete I believe."

            Harry steeled himself he was going to have to actually do it this time, and have 'The Talk' with his future in-laws. He fixed a charming smile on his face and sat down, "I believe you are right Mr. Weasley."

            Several hours later Harry felt drained, and somewhat claustrophobic, he had planned on purchasing some gifts, and excused himself "I need to go to Diagon Alley for a few hours." Ginny brightened. "Alone." Disappointment was painfully obvious on her face.  He smiled and kissed her softly. "It'll only be for a bit love, I just have some shopping to do."

            She grinned at him, and held him close "Stay safe Harry Potter, I can't lose you now."

            He grinned, "Like it'd be that easy to get rid of me then?" She punched him playfully on the arm as he grabbed his cloak. "I'll be back shortly."

            Ginny watched him vanish. "It's hard to see him go, isn't it?" Her mother's voice came through to her. 

            "Yes, dreadfully; I'm always afraid he's going to get hurt, or worse never come back."

            "He'll always come back to you Ginny." Ron stood in the doorway grinning, spinning his wand. "Oh, dad, you really need to do a better job on your locking charms." 

            "How do you know Ron?" Ginny looked at her brother curiously. "You seem to know something."

            "It's simple really," he shrugged heading towards the sandwiches and tea, "nothing could prevent me from getting back to Hermione, and I know Harry feels the same way about you." 

            "But what if he were killed?" 

            Ron looked at her with an intensity she had only seen in Harry's eyes before. "Nothing Ginny." He walked into the living room balancing a stack or sandwiches on his teacup.

            Her breath caught in her throat. Deep inside her she knew that Ron was right, and she'd come back even from death to be with Harry if there were any way at all.

            Charlie was due in in a few hours, so she went upstairs to change from the warm clothes to her comfortable sweats and wait for the arrival of her last two brothers. "When are we selecting the tree then?" 

            "Once everyone has rested up, tomorrow morning." Arthur said. "I have picked out a few, and we'll go make a selection tomorrow morning."

            The twins grinned mischievously, making the tree spectacular is something they did every year, and Ginny was eagerly anticipating the look.

            Diagon Alley was full of people shopping; Harry however had something planned for a while. He walked into Gringott's. "I'd like to see someone about making a transfer."

            "Do you know the vault number then Mr. Potter?" The goblin asked after taking down the information.

            Harry opened a small piece of parchment, and read off the Weasleys vault number. The goblin looked up and then asked Harry a question that floored him. "From which account Mr. Potter?"

            "What do you mean, which account?" he was perplexed.

            "Well, there is your trust account, your parent's account, and the Potter Family account. Since you are obviously of age, as the sole inheritor of the Potter Estate, and Lily and James Potter, the accounts are yours now."

            "How much is in the accounts?" the Goblin shuffled some paperwork around, and grumbling made a few calculations. "If you convert the coins, and add the current value of the bonds the sum worth is seven million four hundred fifty seven thousand eight hundred twelve Galleons four Sickles and one Knut."

            Harry sat down hard, disappearing from view from the Goblin, and barely heard "This does not take into account the property, which is valued at eight million Galleons."

            "Property?" Harry clambered up and looked at the goblin. "What property?"

            "As I said; the Potter estate. Young people _never_ listen." The goblin chuffed. "I assumed you were here to get this transferred to your name legally, am I correct?"

            "Yes, please." The goblin picked up the papers and motioned for a guard. "Griphook! Take Mr. Potter to the legal department, he needs to sign for his estate."

            Griphook took Harry into the back rooms and through corridors until they reached a door with "Legal Department" painted neatly on the door's glass. Inside were rows and rows of secretaries. 

            It was nearly two hours before Harry had managed to complete signing for his estate. Slightly dazed he walked back into the foyer with a map, and keys in his hand. "Mr. Potter!" a goblin called, Harry walked over curios. "You never finished your transaction. Which account did you want to transfer to the Weasley account?"

            "The trust account." 

            "And how much of it?" The goblin asked jotting down some notes.

            "All of it." Harry said

            "Including the non-monetary contents?"

            "What non-monetary contents? No, never mind, I'll get to that later. Transfer all the money to the Weasley vault, and all other contents to the vault of my parents."

            "Very good Mr. Potter." The goblin bowed and called for Griphook, handing him the parchment. "See that Mr. Potters' requests are fulfilled Griphook."

            Harry walked out into Diagon Alley. He had much to do, and little time to do it in. He ran from shop to shop making purchases, and an hour later, laden with bags and boxes, Disapparated to the Burrow.

            Molly was about to enter the kitchen, and Harry stopped her. "Wait one minute Mrs. Weasley. I'll be right back down, and I'm taking everyone out to eat."

            He dashed upstairs dropping the packages on his bed, and running back downstairs. 

            "What's this all about Harry?" Molly asked. 

            "I wanted to do something nice for you all. Tonight, I'm taking you out to eat, my treat." He smiled. "Dress robes for all." Grinning he bolted back upstairs.

            Ginny's mouth was open, "He's gone mental mum." 

            "Perhaps dear, perhaps…." She was smiling slightly, "then again perhaps not. I believe Mr. Potter has discovered something."

            They dressed, and met Harry in the living room; he was holding a silver platter in his hand. Eyebrows were raised at him. "Uhh, portkey." He offered it to the others who all touched it. Harry tapped his wand and they vanished.

            The restaurant was exquisite. Molly felt mildly uncomfortable in the place, but held herself with a dignity Harry had seen in few people. He did not recognize anyone in the place, but they all knew him.

            Arthur grabbed Harry's arm "Harry," he whispered in his ear "do you have any idea where we are?"

            Harry blinked and said "Merlin's Robe?"

            "Harry, this is the best restaurant in wizardling London."

            Harry nodded, that _had_ been the point, and he had used the fire to ask Sirius the name of the best restaurant in London. "Yes Mr. Weasley, I know."

            "Harry, we can't aff.." Harry cut him off with his hand.

            "Mr. Weasley, first of all I am paying for this, you are not. Second of all, I think you'd be surprised at how much you can afford."

            Arthur was taken aback by this, and was contemplating it when they were escorted to their table. 

            After dinner drinks were brought, coffee and a sweet pastry. They smiled and Harry stood to discuss something with the waiter. The waiter bowed and got the manager, bringing him back to their table. 

            "Mr. Potter, I am so glad your family has opted to reacquaint yourselves with our fine establishment. Shall I send for your portkey?"

            "Yes, please."

"Where shall I have your portkey set for?" The manage asked

            "Potter Estate." 

            "Indeed, yes Mr. Potter." The manager left.

            Fred and George looked at Harry "_Potter Estate?_"

            Molly smiled to herself. _So he has found out._ "Now boys, mind your manners."

            The manager returned with the platter, and bowed to Harry. "If you'll sign here, Mr. Potter, we'll arrange the payment from your vault." Harry nodded and wrote the account for his parents vault and signed the parchment. "Please, keep the portkey, with our complements. It can be used to come at any time."

            Harry smiled and accepted the platter. "Well, let's see what this estate looks like then." They all grabbed the tray and Harry activated the portkey.

            They appeared in a small veranda, obviously designed to be an Apparation point. The first thing he noticed was the garden and stone walk leading to the rather large house. The laws were meticulously maintained. He stepped out onto the walk way, and lights flared up on either side of the walkway, softly illuminating the way to the door.

            Instinctively, his hand found Ginny's and they walked carefully to the house. On the door was a rather simple knocker with the letter 'P' engraved into the plaque. He raised the brass ring and let it fall. 

            Moments later the door opened, and Harry was looking into the face of an elf. "My I helps you sirs and ladies?" 

            The elf appeared to be dressed in a miniature butler's uniform, and had bowed to them as he had greeted them.

            "Y-yes, I'm Harry Potter." Harry said. 

The elf froze, and his looks darkened slightly. "Mr. Harry Potter is not dues here for three more years, he is being a student at Hogwarts, now please sirs and ladies, leaves before I is calling Aurors."

Harry smiled and knelt down to be face to face with the elf, and brushed his hair away from his scar. 

"Mr. Harry Potter! How is this happening to you? You are older than you shoulds be!" The elf looked shocked and bowed them in.

Harry looked to the house elf, "What is your name?"

The elf blushed. "Mr. Harry Potter was too young to remembers me," the elf blushed "I is called Korv Mr. Harry Potter. I is the head house elf." He puffed his chest out importantly.

"Korv, please show me and my friends around."

"But Mr. Harry Potter, we is not prepared." The elf looked miserable. "There is dust Mr. Harry Potter, and closed rooms!" the look of panic was almost comical. 

"Oh yes Mr. Harry Potter, we can't have you treading on dust." The twins mocked.

Korv looked almost ready to agree with the twins. "Korv, please the lawns look amazing, show us around."

Reluctantly he was shown around the lower floor of the manor. "How about the bedrooms Korv?"

The elf looked distraught. "Now is nots the bestest of times for that Mr. Harry Potter."

"Why not Korv?" Harry had learned much in the kitchens of Hogwarts and from Dobby.

"The Aurors sir, theys never says it is ok to clean after…" 

Harry's head bolted upright, "You mean we are in Godrick's Hollow?"

"Of course Mr. Harry Potter, this is the family home of the Potters." The elf looked a bit put out. 

"I had imagined, I had heard…" Harry's voice trailed off.

"Harry, I'm afraid the elf is right, this is not the best place for you to be right now." Harry turned to see Sirius in the entry way. "It's not something you need to see." His voice was soft, and caring. "You should seriously reconsider your actions right now."

"But the paperwork says the house was destroyed." He looked around at the house. "This does not look destroyed."

Sirius smiled. "Harry, this isn't where the attack was. It's not that at all. That house is a mile from here, or rather what's left of it. It's just a small cottage that James and Lily moved into while under the charm."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "So what can't I see upstairs?"

Sirius regarded Harry carefully, and lead Harry upstairs himself. They reached the top of the stairs and Sirius headed right. Harry followed him. Pictures were on these walls, some of him, some of his parents, but everywhere were images of Remus, Sirius, Peter and James growing up, obviously in Hogwarts, and finally their wedding day. Harry was shocked by the sheer number of photos. 

Sirius stopped, and opened the door to a room, inside were toys meant for a small child. "It's your room Harry. What the elves mean is that your room is not ready for _you_ it's ready for the last you to have been here."

He placed a hand on Harry's shoulder to comfort him; Harry looked like he was going into shock "It-it's my room."

The room was painted in a light blue, the ceiling had an image of the sky it was perpetually sunny, with light fluffy clouds lazily drifting along in the imagine breeze. A bay window looked out over the garden they had walked up, and on the window seat sat four stuffed animals, a deer, a wolf, a black dog, and a rat. 

"You never really liked the rat, your mum said it was normal, but we used to tease Peter about it. When you went into hiding, your mum said we should leave the bulk of your toys behind." 

Harry sifted through the toys, a soft plastic wand, and a toy broom that hovered only inches from the ground, stuffed animals, and blocks both of muggle and wizard make, and a tiny cauldron. He sat in the center of the room trying to remember each item. On the bookshelf were dozens of colorful books, many of them muggle in origin, many of them wizard in origin. 

He wandered aimlessly in the room, and finally settled at the crib. A soft blanket lined the bottom, and another was folded neatly at the foot of the bed. He felt the material, of the blanket, trying to remember, straining for any faded memory to return. 

He walked out the door and opened the room across the hall. The four poster bed was covered in a thick down comforter; soft white curtains covered the windows allowing the light in. He parted the curtains and looked over the front of the house, and was somewhat surprised to see a driveway leading to the front door. 

Each cabinet on the sides of the bed had a small lamp on it, stacked on both sides is a small pile of books. A small dressing table holds a brush, and a small number of makeup items. 

"You mum didn't take to makeup Harry." He heard Sirius, "hell, she didn't need any of that stuff. Lily was a natural beauty." 

"I know Sirius, believe me, I know."

He spent some time wandering about the upper floors. He came to a decision rather shortly. "Korv, could you do me a favor please?"

"Of course Mr. Harry Potter, Korv is here for just those reasons." The elf bowed low to Harry.

"Ok, two things then, first stop calling me Mr. Harry Potter," the elf looked panicky "just call me Harry." 

"Oh no! I-I can'ts be doing that!" the elf looked scandalized by the mere thought.

            Sirius chuckled "How about calling him Master Potter?"

            "Dammit Sirius, sod off." Harry glowered at his god father.

            "Master Potter it is." The elf looked highly pleased with himself.

            Harry sighed, resigning to get even with Sirius at another time. "Second, I'd like the bedrooms packed up, and I'd like to pick out new furnishings, this place just does not suit me."

            The elf practically vibrated with enthusiasm. "Is Master Potter moving ins?"

            "Not right away Korv, but soon I'm sure…" Harry smiled at the elf and he and Sirius headed to the stairs. "Oh, and Korv?"

            "Yes Master Potter?"

            "Make sure that all photographs stay. I'll want to go through any of the personal items my parents left behind."

            "Of course Master Potter." The elf looked longingly at Harry.

            "Thank you Korv, I think we can make do from here." The elf vanished in a puff of smoke.

            "Well, this is certainly going to take a lot of getting used to." Harry walked down the stairs and saw the Weasleys enjoying tea and biscuits in the sitting room. 

            "Harry, we couldn't stop them." Fred smiled at Harry.

            "They forced us to accept tea, I swear." George nodded.

Molly nodded sadly "Those poor elves, no one to serve in fifteen years. Must have been driving them barmy."

"Well then, shall we return to The Burrow?" Harry asked. 

The gathered members nodded and Arthur used a rock to create a portkey. The pull took them all to The Burrow, and the somewhat subdued groups filed into the house Harry had felt was home for so long now.

Harry went to bed that night feeling on the top of the world, he had so much to look forward to. He had his own home, a place for him, and his family. He fell asleep dreaming of moving in, and children playing around a Christmas tree.

The next morning the odd group trudged out into the snow to see the trees Arthur had chosen, it was noon before a very cold, but elated group came into the Burrow, and Arthur completed the summoning charm to bring the tree they had eventually chosen into the living room.

As they were eating, a tawny owl rapped for entrance. Molly let the owl in, and it dropped a letter for Harry, perching, obviously waiting for an answer. Harry opened the letter.

_Harry James Potter,_

_            Allow me to introduce myself and my firm. We are the solicitors who have historically represented the Potter Estate, and I'd like to set up a meeting between you and my associates._

_            I am aware that these are odd times, and there are some questions as to the validity of the claims that you have come of age. Please return owl with a time we can meet at Potter Estate to go over some paperwork. This is of the utmost importance Mr. Potter; please do not delay in returning._

_Roger A. Penfield III_

_Solicitor _

_Penfield, Wolfgang, Wolfgang & Civer_

            Harry blinked, and re-read the paper. Why did this bode ill? He handed the paper to Arthur wordlessly, and waited for his reply. 

            "Set up the meeting for today Harry, I'll go with you." He handed Harry quill and ink. 

            Harry responded that he'd meet with Mr. Penfield at three thirty at his estate, and attached the note to the owl. 


	10. Chapter 9

**_Chapter 9_**

            Arthur and Harry arrived at the estate at two. Harry noticed that much of the furniture was missing. 

            "Korv? What's going on?" Harry asked perplexed.

            "Miss Ginny Weasley asked Korv to be making changes. Is Master Potter not liking this?" The elf look horrified that he could be doing something wrong.

            "No, no it's fine." He heard Arthur snicker beside him. "It's not funny." He said in an undertone.

            "Actually, Harry its damned funny." Arthur smiled and walked into the sitting room.

            Harry sighed. "We will be having guests. Legal matters need to be attended to. We will need a table and some chairs in the sitting room. Perhaps some refreshments as well." 

            Korv disappeared and shortly Harry saw an elegant oak table appear in the sitting room, several tall-backed chairs obviously made to be part of the set lined the sides. Harry pulled one out and sat in it marveling at how comfortable the chair was. 

            Shortly Korv returned with two other elves leaving quills, parchment, and ink as well as plates of sandwiches and a pot of tea.

            "Master Potter." Korv interrupted Harry's train of thought a while later. "Visitors has arrived." 

            Harry stood and nodded to Arthur. With a slightly trembling hand he poured himself some tea. 

            "Harry, sit. It places you in a position of authority." Arthur said to him.

            Harry complied, and was just raising his cup to his lips when he heard the door to the room open. "Master Harry Potter sirs." The elf bowed the two older men in and closed the door behind him.

            "Mr. Potter?"

            "Remain calm Harry, and follow my lead." Arthur said softly as the solicitors were escorted in. He sat back, and sipped his tea.

            The two older men walked in carrying leather briefcases, and appearing stogy. The leader of the two extended his hand, and introduced himself "Roger Penfield III and you are?"

            Arthur slowly sat the cup down and laid his hands in his lap. "Arthur Weasley and this" he said indicating Harry "is Harry Potter.

            "Mr. Penfield, might I enquire as to the identity of your associate, and the reason for this meeting?" Arthur had none of the warm tones Harry was used to, he had become all business. 

            "We are here to validate this gentleman's claims to be Harry James Potter." One of the solicitors pulled out a small box, not unlike the one Harry had used earlier for the Apparation test. "This is Albert Jornsen, he's our firms specialist on tracing."

            "Tracing?" Harry asked curious. 

            "Why yes, we detect the magical signature using special equipment and can the trace similar signatures from our client. It let's us know if the person is innocent or guilty. It's a simple and harmless test."

            They went through the paces of the verification and an hour later, Jornsen proclaimed Harry to be, well – himself.

            "Thank you Mr. Jornsen, I was beginning to doubt it myself." Harry said dryly. The two solicitors took it all in stride. "Well then we must be off Mr. Potter. Good day."

            Arthur and Harry looked at one another for a moment, and finally Harry asked the questions burning inside him. "Is that normal?"

            Arthur thought for a minute. "Well, in the case of a high-profile inheritance I'd say probably. And your case is rather unique in that you are from an old family line, and quite frankly being who you are. Still…" He gazed out over the snow-covered lawns. "Still Harry, there was something, well contrived about the whole affair."

            They quietly sipped their tea, and finally Arthur stood. "Well, Harry, let's return to The Burrow, we'll discuss this with Albus over dinner."

            Harry left instructions for the elves, and the two Disapparated.

            The sun set on the Potter Estate, revealing an odd scene. Korv stood before a painting of a young couple, looking anxious. The woman in the painting smiled down on the elf. "So they are settling in then Korv?"

            "Yes Ma'am." 

            "Good. Oh, and Korv, remember to keep us out of sight. It would not do for Harry to discover us so soon."

            "Yes Ma'am."

            "Korv?" the man said softly. 

            "Sir?"

            "In the bottom of my wardrobe is a parcel. Make sure he 'discovers' it next time he's here."

            "Of course Sir. Will there be anything else?" The elf looked to the young couple.

            "No Korv, for now we'd like to rest."

            Korv bowed and headed out to do his master's bidding.

            The next morning Ginny looked around the manor. Harry had been giving the elves tasks to complete. Painting, remodeling, and redecorating had been going on at breakneck speed, and she had never seen a happier bunch of elves. She approved of most of the changes, and had been slipping small changes to the elves since realizing that Harry basically had no fashion sense. The manor was coming together quite nicely she thought. '_This is going to be a lovely place_.' She thought to herself '_not that it wasn't charming in its own way now, but this is still Lily and James' house. I want it to be ours.'_

             She watched Harry walk Ashton out, and Korv tugged on the hem of her robes. "Miss Weasley? Could you be looking at this choices of Master Potter?"  

She gathered the material in her hands and stared at it, her eyebrows furrowed. "Korv, where did he ask for this to be put, and on what?" He nose wrinkled at the colors. 

Korv fidgeted and twisted his hands in his lap. "The master bedroom draperies."

Ginny made a tutting sound and frowned even more deeply. "He's mad; the only thing this wouldn't clash with is shite." She muttered and handed the offending fabric back. "Korv, something in a pale green sheer with a bone drape." 

The elf smiled with relief and bowed deeply to her. "Many thanks Miss Weasley." 

From the doorway Harry grinned, and then affixed a neutral look as he made his way noisily into the room. "Well, all we have left to do is to finish a year of school, get married, go about the business of getting rid of a seriously evil wizard, and we can have our happily ever after."

"That is _not_ even a little bit funny Mr. Potter." She pulled a face and suddenly stopped herself. "And I am hardly acting like a young lady."

"Personally, I'd rather you didn't myself." Harry walked up behind her and pulled her in close to him. "What do you say we go examine the master bedroom for cracks?" this last he whispered into her ear.

"Harry! We are due back in the Burrow in fifteen minutes!" Ginny tried to sound scandalized, but she was already trying to figure out how late they'd be, and if she could pacify her mother long enough to make it worthwhile. Grinning wickedly she turned to Harry, kissed him deeply, and made for the stairs. "Last one up has to lock the door!"

Harry grinned wildly and followed close on her heels.

An hour later they Disapparated to the Burrow; Harry and Ginny stuck to their rather lame story of losing track of time Ron finally pulled Harry aside. "Mate, I know we said we weren't going to talk about 'It', but Harry," he dusted off the back of Harry's robes "next time, do _try_ and be discreet?" 

"Oh hell, did you mum see?" Harry appeared worried.

"Mate, she'd have to be blind, or stupid." Ron paused "and mum never has been either."

"Shit." 

He headed up to his room to change. Ron followed him and started laughing at Harry as he was pulling on a clean robe. 

"_What?_" Harry looked in the mirror to see if he had anything on his face.

"I take it you and Ginny have matching socks now?" Ron slid down the door that had been supporting him. Harry lifted his robs and saw one blue and one black sock. 

"Damn." Harry sank onto his bed. "Today is just getting better and better." He said dryly.

"Well mate, I'm off to Hermione's for dinner." Ron stood and prepared to Disapparate. 

"You mean you aren't staying?" Harry looked at the door worriedly.

"As much fun as it would be to sit in a kitchen and watch my baby sister and best mate get tarred and feathered, I think I'll just give that one a pass. Besides, Hermione's parents love me." He winked at Harry.

"That's only because her dad enjoyed being transfigured." Harry glared at Ron moodily. "And Hermione wasn't there to catch your little cock-up."

            Ron snorted "Well if you weren't playing footsy with Ginny all the damn time, perhaps I'd not have been dropping in at tea time."

            "Ron you ignorant git! You are always at Hermione's!" Harry glared at his friend. "And besides, we don't play footsy." 

            "Gah! Stop right there Potter, we agreed!" Ron placed his hands over his ears.

            Harry stood over Ron and an evil grin slid over his face. "Ron." He said in his kindest voice. "Your right, I'm sorry mate." He extended his hand. Ron smiled and took it. "Besides, your sister is bloody brilliant in the sack." 

            Ron's face went pale. Harry was laughing so hard he was grasping his sides at the look on his friends face. "You bloody bastard!" 

            The two were wrestling when Molly opened the door; half of Harry's possessions were strewn over the floor or broken. "Harry James Potter! Ronald Arthur Weasley! _What_ has gotten into you two?"

            The two stopped and looked around the room. They felt twelve again, and this time Molly was glaring at them both. Harry looked up guiltily, and wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. "We were just – er well…"

            "I know what you two were doing. Now you march downstairs _right now_ and get cleaned up for dinner." Molly glared at them.

            Ron stood up, and brushed of the front of his jeans, and pulled out his wand. "_Where_ do you think _you_ are going Ronald?"

            Ron froze. "Hermione's?"

            "You will be eating at home tonight, and that's final."

            Ron sulked off after Harry. Molly looked around the room and decided to let Harry clean up after himself. Just as she was getting ready to leave, she noticed one of Harry's old school robes; it appeared to be torn in some places. She shrugged and took it with her to fix up. _He must be wearing it when he is working at the estate._ Something seemed to be nagging at her mind about that though.

            He had dinner ready to serve and placed the robes in her sewing basket. The Weasley's who were home gathered for dinner, and were seated, food was passed out and they were just tucking in. The conversation was lively as always. 

            "So what did that prat barrister say Harry?" Ron asked.

            Harry sighed around a mouthful of food, and animatedly retold the tale of their meeting that morning. 

            "Oh Harry, I took your ripped robe and am going to mend it dear." Molly said "How did it get torn anyhow? I thought the house elves were doing most of the work."

            Harry froze, and his eyes went wide as he looked at Ginny, who turned bright red, and sunk down in her seat. Molly watched the two of them suspiciously. 

            "We erm, were looking through some closets, and my robes got snagged on some nails. I guess that's when they got ripped."

            Molly seemed to consider the story with growing wariness. "So Ron how's Hermione?" Ginny asked trying to diffuse the conversation.

            "Well if what Harry said is any indication, about as good as you." Ron said, and instantly regretted it. 

            Ginny looked at Ron and then Harry. The embarrassment turned to livid anger "**You told him?**"

            The next twenty minutes became pure chaos. Voices were raised, fingers pointed and much blame was passed around. A few minutes into it, Hermione appeared and waded into the fray with much gusto and vigor defending Ron. 

            A loud 'BANG' shook the house and the family went silent. There in the doorway stood Dumbledore with a wry smile and a twinkle in his eyes. "I do hope you'll forgive the intrusion on what was a spectacular display of either Rugby or a family moment; however I am in dire need of Ronald, Virginia, Harry and Hermione."

            The four followed Dumbledore into the living room, and oddly enough, there sat Cornelius Fudge. "Thank you Albus." Fudge said dismissively.

            Harry, still brassed off from the fight in the kitchen, was definitely not in the mood for Fudge's flippancy. "What do you want, _Minister_?" He tried to make Minister rhyme with scum, and came close to doing it.

            "Harry…" Ginny placed a hand on Harry's arm to stop him from saying anything rude. 

Fudge didn't seem to realize anything and continued "I understand you lot are going to be part of the Department of Mysteries once you graduate this year."

            "Yeah, that's the gist of it, look if this is what you came here for is idle chit-chat _Minister_ I'm really quite busy at the moment."

            Ron choked on his juice.

            Fudge looked scandalized. "Mr. Potter! Need I remind you who I am?"

            Harry's eyes narrowed. "Say what you came to say _Minister_ I have important things to discuss with my family, and none of them requires the interference of someone as incompetent as you."

            Ginny smiled '_and they say the Weasley's have a temper.'_ "Minister Fudge." She said sweetly "You needed us for something?"

            "Why yes, yes I do, I wished to discuss some advanced training you will be tending to."

            Harry nodded his eyes still watching Fudge carefully. "And?"

            Ron's brow furrowed, and he glanced over at Harry and then to Hermione. Ginny had seen this before, an almost secret handshake between the three of them. She smiled to herself, they still didn't have the closeness she had with Harry. 

            Her fingers interwove with his, and she concentrated on the feel of his skin on hers. '_He's worried about how Fudge is acting.'_ She gave him a comforting squeeze of the hand and felt a bit of the tension ease away. She thought something horribly wicked, and concentrated hard on the image. 

            Harry was glaring at Fudge he felt the calming presence of Ginny's hand in his, and felt that reassuring closeness. It always worked to ease his tension, he relaxed subtly.

            "So what I'm here to discuss is the advancing of your training in physical combat. You'll be met by a Mr. Howard Tsing on your return to Hogwarts after the break. Mr. Tsing will be your personal trainer in hand to hand combat."

            Harry was about to blurt out something but suddenly an image flashed in front of his eyes unbidden. His mouth dropped open, and he flushed scarlet. His eyes widened and looked at Ginny who was standing beside him looking innocently at Dumbledore. 

            Albus Dumbledore watched with interest at the surge of power as Ginny calmed Harry down, and was quite surprised by the surge that followed it. '_Indeed Ms. Weasley may very well be as powerful as Harry.'_ This would require some time with his pensive. He was actually quite amused at Harry's reaction, '_so Ms. Weasley has learned that trick._'

            "Well Cornelius, I think we have taken enough of their time." Dumbledore smiled and bowed to them. "Give my best to the rest of your family." The aged wizard bowed to them. 

            "Yes, well then…" Fudge popped his bowler on his head and the two Disapparated.

            The four turned back to the kitchen, Harry sighed, it was apparent that the earlier 'discussion' was teetering on renewing itself full-force. He turned to Ron "So how about those Canons mate?"

            Ron smiled at Harry weakly and launched into his patented Canons rhetoric, slowly gathering the rest of the household into the conversation. He lifted his and Ginny's clasped hands, and brushed his lips over the back of her hand. 

That night, Harry dreamt of Riddle again. He seemed to be gloating about this whole affair. "Potter's hands are tied we have that pathetic man under our thumb and he'll make sure Potter and his little friends are kept busy; he won't even be able to prevent us from walking into Hogwarts and taking students."

The assembled Death Eaters seemed to find this funny. Harry found it revolting, he felt the power surging through him, and for the first time ever, Riddle felt the presence of Harry Potter. His red eyes went wide, and then narrowed. "Well Mr. Potter, thank you for taking time out of your no doubt busy schedule to have a chat.

"Make yourself comfortable Mr. Potter, I am sure we have much to discuss." He steeped his hands in front of himself. "Yes, much indeed..."

Harry woke with a start, breathing heavily and shaking he scrawled out the dream and called Hedwig over. "Get this to Dumbledore as quickly as you can." The snowy owl hooted, and bolted out the window. Harry eased himself back into his bed and stared into the murky darkness that hid the ceiling.

His watch indicated the time was four am, and so he sighed, and got up, ambling down to the kitchen for some water. He stood by the kitchen window and in the end drank three full glasses staring out at the snow-covered ground. He was filling the glass for the fourth time absent-mindedly, when he heard a creak of the kitchen door opening.

Ginny stood in the doorway looking at Harry, as he turned to face her. Images flashed through his head as he saw her trying to focus on the world around her, still more than half asleep. 

_At that moment there was a diversion in the form of a small, redheaded figure in a long nightdress, who appeared in the kitchen, gave a small squeal, and ran out again._

_"Ginny," said Ron in an undertone to Harry. "My sister. She's been talking about you all summer."_

_"Yeah, she'll be wanting your autograph, Harry," Fred said with a grin, but he caught his mother's eye and bent his face over his plate without another word. Nothing more was said until all four plates were clean, which took a surprisingly short time._

Harry chuckled to himself, '_well; she got a lot more than my autograph Fred.'_

Ginny, blinked a few more times focusing on Harry, and her face lit up, and a warm smile formed on her mouth. Harry moved over to her, and kissed her softly. "You are not an early riser love, bad dreams?"

She nodded, and took the glass from Harry draining it, and walked to the sink to refill it. "Yeah," she half-whispered. "Harry, I know you dream about him, is that what woke you tonight?"

Harry nodded to her, and sat in a chair behind her, pulling her into his lap. She sat the glass on the table and shifted so that she was in as much contact to Harry as was possible. "Did he see you this time?"

"Yes, he did Gin…" he looked into her face. "How did you know?"

"I was there too." She sobbed and buried her face into his chest. 

Harry ran his hand up and down her back softly, "It's ok Ginny, think I have come up with something."

She looked at him with confusion evident in her eyes. Harry grinned wickedly at her. "Mr. Potter, what exactly are you thinking?" Her face bore a scowl, but he saw the confusion shift to mirth dancing in her eyes.

            "Yesterday I found this package in my parent's room; it hadn't been there before I am sure of it…" He went on to describe the package and its contents. 

Ginny clapped her hand over her mouth to muffle the laughter and held him tight. "I'm engaged to a genius."

Harry put on a false hurt look, "You are going to marry Hermione? Ron is going to be put out, and honestly, I just don't like him _that_ way."

Ginny slapped him on the arm, and huffed. "Your right, I'm marrying a prat who gets an occasional good idea." She folded her arms in front of her.

Harry grinned and leaned forward whispering in her ear for a minute. Her face melted from a frown to a grin matching his. "I take it back; you Mr. Potter are the root of all things evil." She threaded her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. "And you are rapidly corrupting me." 

            "Corrupting you?" He said teasingly. They held each other and watched the sun rise over the paddock. 

            The couple turned at the sound of someone entering the kitchen. Albus Dumbledore sat and with a flick of his wand a tall glass of water appeared. "So Harry, I'm to understand you had a vision, and this time Voldemort felt your presence?"

            "Yes, however there's more that I didn't know until just a few minutes ago. Ginny had the same vision."

            "Indeed? And did Tom feel you as well Ms. Weasley?"

            "No, but he definitely felt Harry's presence."

            Dumbledore sat and thought this out. "I will be in touch."

            He stood and left, shortly the glass on the table vanished as well. Harry had been watching it thinking something himself.

            "Ginny, love."

            "Yes Harry?" She had remained by his side quietly watching him.

            "Get the others together, as soon as possible. Come to the estate." He stood up and prepared to Disapparate, and paused. "Don't let anyone else know where we are. Ok?"

            "Mum and dad will be furious." She was already heading up to get Ron.

            "I'll deal with them later. I'm feeling uncomfortable." He vanished with a pop.

            Ginny sighed, and headed up the stairs, being careful not to make any noises.

            Harry arrived and walked into the sitting room to find the table still there. He smiled to himself and took a seat and began writing. 

            A few minutes later, Korv arrived. "Master Potter! You is not being sneaking about! Not seemly for a Potter!" The elf seemed highly scandalized by the though of a Potter roaming about in the middle of the night.

            Harry smiled at the elf. "Korv, would you fetch some tea, and two cups please?"

            The elf bowed and left the room darting for the kitchen.

            Harry finished his notes when the elf returned. Placing the pot and cups on the table the elf looked around expectantly. "You is having guests then?"

            "Yes, but not for a bit yet." Harry gestured to the chair beside him. "Please, Korv, have a seat, and some tea. I wish to discuss a few things with you."

            "Master Potter! House elves is not to be sittings with their masters!"

            "Korv, please." Harry knew his time with the elf was limited. "You are in the charge of the Potter Estate, correct?"

            "Yes. For many years. Many generations of Korv's family serves the Potters."

            "Right, that means that what I say goes, correct?"

            "Of course Master Potter."

            "Right. Then what I am saying is you plant your arse in that chair, and allow me to pour you some tea so we can talk."

            The elf nervously sat in the chair and sipped tea from the cup as if he were on trial.

            "Now shortly there will be a large number of guests here, and I need you to be prepared for this. All total there will be ten of us, and we'll have regular frequent visitors."

            The elf looked considerably better. "How long will Mater Potter's guests be staying?"

            "We will remain until term starts again in January." Harry looked at the elf for a moment. "I've written some instructions on this piece of parchment. Make sure they are carried out to their fullest."

            "Of course Master Potter." The elf made to go.

            "Not yet." Harry placed a hand on the elf's shoulder. "I – could you tell me something?"

            The elf looked at Harry. "Of course Master Potter."

            "Could you tell me about my childhood?"

            The elf looked confused. "Master Potter, I is not understanding."

            "I…" His voice drifted off, and he stared out on the lawn. Figures were walking to the house. "Never mind Korv. We'll talk again ok?"

            "Certainly Master Potter." The elf bowed and left clutching the missive from his master in his hands. 

            Harry stood and walked to the door, opening it, and inviting the remainder of Telsin House into his home. They walked into the sitting room, and settled in at the table. 

            "I am so sorry for the secrecy, but I believe there is a problem." 

            The idle whispers ended. "I think we are not learning everything, and a lot of people know something they aren't telling us. This house is the only place I know is perfectly safe." He stood looking over the young men and women. "We aren't being told something, and I don't like it."

**_Hogwarts_****_ School_****_ of Witchcraft and Wizardry – Two Weeks Later_**

            The term was in full swing, and the coming Friday night was the date for the promised Winter Ball. All four of the houses seemed to be talking about little else. Students were twittering and giggling in halls between classes, last minute dates arranged and angst was running high. 

            In a small common room ten young adults arrived from a particularly difficult training match. 

            "I hate Tseng." Ron moaned from his position on the floor. He had flopped unceremoniously down as soon as he stopped moving forward. 

            "Ron if you don't stretch you are going to be sorry tomorrow." 

            "Hermione, back off. I feel sorry now." He did however roll over and half-heartedly began stretching his aching muscles.

            Ginny and Harry were on 'best of five' as Harry had become highly adept at beating her at rock-scissors-paper. "Damn you Potter! I want the bloody shower first!"

            Cho leaned over and whispered something in Ginny's ear, and they both looked at Harry evilly. "Well," Ginny said slowly lifting the bottom of her soaked shirt. "I am getting out of these clothes." 

            Harry's face turned red. "Ah, no… why don't you guys take the showers first then…" 

            The girls laughed and took off. 

            "Oi, mate what did you do that for?" Ron scowled at Harry. "You could have won."

            Dean looked at Ron and laughed. "I just think Harry was more concerned in keeping your sister's charms to himself."

            Harry turned to Dean his eyes near smoldering in anger. "**_Don't you dare speak about Ginny like that._**" A wave of fatigue washed over Harry making his knees buckle. 

            Ron leapt forward, and gave Harry a supporting hand. He shot a death glare at Dean.

            An hour later all ten of them were clean dry and readying for their next class. They opened the door and noticed the trolls were appearing nervous. 

"Trog!" Harry said as they passed the leader of the trolls.

"Oi 'Arry Pott'r."

"What's wrong Trog?"

"Trog feel strange tings 'Arry Pott'r. Strange tings." Harry shrugged it off and they headed to the classroom where Madam Pomfrey was teaching them basic medical practices.

            Just as they were nearing the hospital wing, Harry stopped, and looked about, concerned. Not a single student or professor appeared to be anywhere. It took them several minutes before they began to get nervous. "I'm sure" he said shortly "that there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for this."

            Hermione was looking around sharply. "Harry," he could hear a hit of fear in her voice "Do you notice a distinct lack of, well, noise?"

            He listened, for anything. "Back to the common room. Now!" They moved as if rehearsed. They reached the trolls and the stature. And as one the practically shouted "Voldemort" and the statue moved aside. They piled into the common room and waited. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Ron looked at Harry. "We need the map."

            Harry nodded. As a group they left the common room heading for Sirius's office. They knocked, and receiving no reply opened the door. The room was as Harry remembered it from the previous night's meetings with his godfather. On the wall the Marauder's Map was still working. 

            Harry went to it, and concentrated on the map. "As far as I can tell, we are the only humans in the castle. The trolls and house elves are here, but it's just us right now."

            "Ok, I officially do not like this" Susan said finally. "Harry, let's get our field gear."

            Hermione looked over at Harry "I could not agree more." She headed for the back of the room opened the cabinet and started pulling out rucksacks and handing them out.

            Each of the Companions removed their black robes, and opening their rucksack pulled out the grayish looking robes instead. Once on, the robes shifted color to more appropriately match the background. Harry noted with a smile that the robes had become almost black. '_Wow, impressive change_.' He thought sarcastically, and shouldered his rucksack. "Ready then?"

            Nod's all around and he turned to the door. As an after thought he moved to the wall and pulled down the Marauder's Map, and studied it for a moment. "Gryffindor Tower first, then Hufflepuff, then Ravenclaw, and finally Slytherin." The nine students facing him nodded. He handed the map to Ron. "Keep an eye out."

            They headed off passing from shadow to shadow, straining to hear any noise that would give away something, any clue. They reached the portrait of the fat lady, and Ron looked up from the map "Yea Verily" 

            The portrait swung open. "You have _got_ to be kidding." Harry scoffed as the entered what used to be home. They split into two groups the girls up one set of stairs, the boys up the other. They met in the Gryffindor common room and compared notes. 

An hour later found the ten of them sitting in the great hall, confused, and more than a little scared.

"Ok, so basically, it looks as if over a thousand students and teachers suddenly stood up and took a holiday?" Harry was becoming irritated. 

            "Now what," asked Justin clearly shaken "Do we just sit here and wait?"

            "No." Everyone turned to look at Harry. "No, we are going to figure this out. Hogwarts is still safe, or at least _we_ are while we are still here. Something kept us here. We need to find out what's happening."

            They left for the owlry; Harry wrote a quick note to Dumbledore and tied it to Hedwig. "Find Dumbledore". The owl took to flight. 

            "What if they are being held?" asked Ron, I mean what did you just tell him?

            "I asked him if he got his Christmas Wish." Harry answered. Ron looked at him confused. "It's a code Ron, Dumbledore gave it to me in the advent I wasn't sure where to find him, and if it's possible owl post is being interfered with."

            "So what is his Christmas Wish then?" Ron asked.

            "Socks." Harry answered, and they filed back down to their common room to plan.

            They sat at the table the map in front of them, discussing various ideas when Hanna looked up at Harry. "There's someone here besides us." She was pointing at a dot moving into the main hall. Harry turned the map; there it was a dot moving towards the great hall. The label on the dot read 'Cornelius Fudge' Harry was already moving towards the door. 

            The ten students flitted through the corridors until they saw Fudge sitting at the head table eating, and apparently talking to himself. Harry was surveying the scene when Ron spoke up. "So, wands out you reckon?"

            Harry winced, "Don't ever say that again Ron." Harry, however, did draw his wand, and the others followed suit. They spread out moving in pairs. Harry felt a small hand on his shoulder. Ginny leaned over to him and kissed him quickly. He smiled at her and moved up. Ron and Hermione were traveling up the left-hand side of the hall, Harry and Ginny up the right. Cho and Justin were moving up the middle with Hanna, Susan, Lisa and Dean following them in a small fan. They reached the head table, and Harry leveled his wand. "_Pertificus totalus_" 

Hermione raised her eyebrow and looked at Harry. He shrugged "It's the first thing I could think of."

She summoned a stretcher and they made their way back to the common room. Hermione performed the counter curse, and Fudge sat up. "Dear me, I am so sorry I fell asleep."

"Erm, Minister Fudge?" Harry asked "Are you ok?"

Fudge looked over at Harry; his eyes had an almost glazed look to them. "Harry lad! Aren't you going to be late for the second task?" He blinked a few times "Potter? What are you doing in my office?"

Ginny looked at Harry, "He's under Imperious. I can tell the signs." Harry nodded, Ginny was their ace medic, oh they all had training, and in a pinch could set a broken arm or leg, but Ginny just _knew_ this stuff. 

Harry looked at Hermione, she shook her head sadly. "Right, so we can't break it. We also can't let him go, nor leave him alone." He sighed. "Ron, take Justin, Hanna and Susan. Go to Filtch's office, and bring back a set of manacles." 

Ron nodded, Justin looked at Harry. "Are you sure about this Harry, he _is_ still the Minister of Magic." 

"Yeah, I'm sure" Harry said after a short thoughtful pause. "Go, and get back here. Take the map." He pointed to the map still lying with Ron's gear. The four left the room at a slow jog.

Harry looked a Lisa for a second. "Lisa, I need a dreamless sleep draft, and make plenty, I don't know how long we'll need to keep Minister Fudge sedated." She nodded and tapped Dean on the shoulder. They rose and left heading for the potions room.

Hermione, Ginny and Cho sat there watching over the Minister. Harry looked at Fudge one last time sadly. "I'm terribly sorry Minister." Harry leveled his wand and reapplied the full body bind on Fudge. He patted fudge down, withdrawing a wand and an envelope from Fudge's jacket pocket.

He glanced at Hermione "Keep him like that until the manacles or potion arrive. I don't want him going anywhere."

Harry set the wand and letter on the table. He was looking at the wand oddly, it seemed familiar. He closed his eyes trying to remember. "SHIT! It's a trap!" Harry bolted for the door. "Oi! Trog! Get in here!"

The lumbering troll entered the room, "Yers?"

"Don't let that man move. Not one inch understand?" The troll blinked once and nodded. "Kill him if he moves, understand?" The troll grinned and nodded.

"Harry…" Ginny rarely challenged him, but this was too much. "What are you doing?"

"He's a fucking spy." He spat the words out. "This isn't Fudge's wand. It belonged to Cedric."

Cho's head snapped up. "Harry, what are you talking about, how could you…"

"Cho, I have relived the last minutes of Cedric's life for six months now every night. Trust me, this is Cedric's wand." Harry's face brooked no argument, and none was given.

"Now, the real question is. Who in the hell is he?" Harry looked at his watch. "We should know in about twenty minutes." 

Ron was moving in the lead Susan just behind him. Susan was studying the map "All clear still, the castle is still empty." Ron leaned back and waved Justin and Hanna forward as they left their spot for the next one.

They continued until they reached Filtch's office. "This is spooky, I hated this place when he was here, and I certainly don't like it now." They gathered the manacles that, true to Filtch's words were well maintained. 

They were easing themselves into a hallway just before the entranceway when Susan placed a hand on Ron's shoulder. "Hold up. There's someone else in the castle."

Ron stopped. "Where?"

"In Dumbledore's office." Her finger pointing to the dot on the map.

Ron thought for a minute. "Justin, take Hanna and the manacles back to Harry, tell him everything. Susan, you're with me. We are going to find out who is in Dumbledore's office, and how they are masking their name."

Justin glanced once back at Ron and then moved into the deeper shadows of the hallway opposite them. In just a few minutes they'd be back with the trolls. _HA! That's funny, finding trolls' comforting._ He mused as they slipped from shadow to shadow.

They saw the post, and he noticed in a panic one of the trolls was missing. "Hanna, wait. There are only three trolls. Where's the fourth one?" His voice was edged in panic. "You don't suppose its inside do you?"

She shrugged "Only one way to find out."

They moved into the light area of the hallway, the three remaining trolls regarded them mutely. They moved past them, uttered "Voldemort" and the chimera slid aside. 

Harry looked up seeing Hanna and Justin. "Where's Ron and Susan?" he demanded.

Both were taken aback by the forcefulness of his tone. "Harry, Ron saw something moving in Dumbledore's office. He and Susan went to see who it was and why they didn't show up on the map."

"DAMN THEM!" He wheeled on Fudge. "Hermione free him. Trog, don't kill him unless he makes any sudden moves, understand?" Trog blinked once and nodded raising his club preparing to strike. 

Hermione reluctantly let Fudge out of the bind, and stepped back. Fudge relaxed visibly. 

Harry looked at him. "I know you are not Minister Fudge. So who are you?" the man looked at Harry with the same bleary look. Harry felt the calm wave again, "**_You and I know you are not Fudge. What is your name?_**" the wave left him, and he felt weak. Ginny was already there to hold him up. 

The figure of Fudge cringed and raised his arm to his cloak pocket. His hand never made it in to find the wand missing, Trog followed his orders well. Harry sighed heavily and collapsed.

Hermione encased the body in ice. "Well we don't want it to stink the place up." Was how she explained herself. They moved the corpse into an unused classroom.

"Ok, we know that was not Fudge, so who was it?" Ginny was brooding after sending Trog back out into the hall. She looked at Harry still sleeping on the couch. "If this like the last time, he'll be out for another couple of hours and eat like a small tribe of famished trolls." She looked around the room. "Justin, Hanna go to the kitchens. Tell the house elves to bring our food here until told differently. Bring back enough food for a week."

Justin hesitated and looked at Harry. 

Ginny raised her eyebrow and with a slow nod the two left the room. Cho looked at Ginny. "Sleeping with him does not infer command." She said softly. 

Ginny's eyes narrowed at Cho dangerously. Hermione had been watching this build over the course of time, and knew it was due, but now was not the time. "Both of you swallow whatever pride has bubbled up in you and listen to me. We do _not_ have time for this, not now."

Cho nodded slowly still glaring at Ginny. Ginny's head inclined and paused then she too nodded. "For now." Was all she said to Cho.

Cho moved to the table and started examining the parchment notes. She picked up a quill and started adding the latest events into the log that they had started. Her brows were furrowed in concentration when the door opened and Justin and Hanna came in with a bundle of food and some golden plates and goblets. "They said we could just order food any time." He shrugged off his rucksack and set the large sack of food down on the table near the fire. 

Harry moaned softly, and sank deeper into his sleep. "He is going to be ok?" Hanna asked inclining her head towards Harry.

Ginny looked up at Hanna and nodded. "Yeah, last time it took a couple hours for him to recover."

"It must have been a hell of a lot of magic. _I_ felt like answering him, and he wasn't _looking_ at me." Justin admitted awe touching his words.

Ginny stood and looked at Justin and Hanna. "I'm sorry about ordering you two out, but we needed food for when he wakes up." She pulled a face and said in mock disgust "He eats like a pig when he does this."

Hanna giggled and Justin smiled. "Its okay Ginny, we are just so used to Harry calling the shots I'm not sure we were ready for him to not be there for us."

Cho stood up from the table an hour later frustrated with the progress, or lack thereof on the meager information they had so far.

Harry moaned and his eyes blinked open. A smile crossed his face when he saw Ginny. "'Morning love." He struggled to sit up and saw the food in front of him. 

A full twenty minutes later Harry sat back finally sated. "Gods Harry." Justin breathed. "I mean, where in the hell do you _fit_ all that?"

Harry chuckled. "I wish I knew." With that he stood a bit shaky at first, but his strength returning rapidly.

"Now, what happened?" he asked sitting at the table, and glancing around "Where is Ron and Susan?" 

"They haven't returned from Dumbledore's office yet." Cho answered. "Ginny didn't think it wise to send anyone else out after food was brought in for you."

Harry looked at Ginny "Right. Good call actually Ginny." He sat thoughtfully. "And Ron has the map."

"Well there's nothing for it I guess." He rummaged in his pack, and pulled out a silvery cloak. This intrigued the rest of the team immensely.

Justin half whispered. "That's an invisibility cloak!"

Harry nodded. "The map can see through it, but people can't. Ginny, you are with me." He stood and looked back at the team thoughtfully.

"Hermione, you are in charge until we get back." He opened the door, and was about to swing the cloak over themselves when Ron and Susan tumbled in.

Harry and Ginny leapt out of the way allowing the two to get back in the room before closing the door and barring it.

Harry looked at Ron, grimacing and clutching his leg, obviously broken. Hermione was by his side immediately, and Ginny was dropping her rucksack and digging for supplies. She mended the break and muscle tears, and finished by giving him a draft for pain relief and the last of her sleeping potion. 

"I'll need some time in the potions room to re-supply." Harry nodded. "Cho, go with Ginny, bring back Lisa and Dean, and clean out every item from there you might need." They nodded and took off at a run.

Harry looked at Susan. "What happened?"

Susan looked at Harry and nodded, pulling out the map. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." The map formed on the parchment. She pointed to the moving dot on the page. "It appears Hogwarts has a new ghost." 

Harry looked at the dot carefully. "Who?"

"Severous Snape" was Susan's reply. 


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"So why is he in Dumbledore's office?" Harry asked.

"He's insane. He was apparently tortured with Cruacious for hours until he died. We questioned him for almost an hour Harry, but finally he chased us out of the office. Ron fell down the stairs, and broke his leg."

They sat in silence for a bit. "Hermione, I hate to ask this, but I need some way to talk to Snape where he will be lucid. Can you arrange it?"

She looked up tears in her eyes. "I - I'll try Harry."

Harry nodded. "I wish I could give you time Hermione, but a lot worse is going to happen if we don't find out where everyone is." She nodded mutely. But stood and moved to dig out a few books. "If you need any other books, we can send a pair to the library to get whatever you need." 

Hermione took up her position at Ron's head, this time with a quill, parchment and a small pile of books. After an hour's work she stood, stretched, and handed Harry a list of thirty books. He took the list, grabbed the map, and his cloak. 

By this time, Ginny, Justin, Lisa, and Dean were back with what appeared to be everything they could physically transport out of the potions room. Harry helped clear a space for their new potions lab. He looked over the rest of them, and made up his mind rapidly. 

He moved over to Ginny, pulled her to him, and whispered into her ear. "I need to get books for Hermione, the only person I can trust to come with me is Cho. I just want you to know one thing before we go." He looked into her eyes locking gazes with her. "I love you only. We'll be back as soon as we can."

Ginny nodded. She knew Harry would do nothing to hurt her. Cho on the other hand was another matter. 

Harry looked up. "Cho, you are with me. Ginny, you are in charge until I return." They left through the door. "Bar it behind us. We'll let you know it's us."

The door closed and Ginny started work brewing potions for healing taking great care in preparing the potions. They had a limited supply, and she didn't have the luxury of making mistakes. After an hour she started getting nervous, her mind playing out scenes ranging from them being captured to Harry being unfaithful. Finally she sighed, and refocused on the task at hand.

Justin moved over beside her. "Ginny, don't worry. Harry is a saint. The only reason he took Cho is out of necessity."

She looked at Justin and smiled. "I know it's just…"

"Frustrating" he finished for her "Knowing he _had_ a thing for her, but to be honest with you, Ginny, I believe Cho could dance naked in front of him singing 'take me now' and he'd push her aside to get a good look at you in a burlap sack."

Ginny laughed out loud at that. "I'm not sure I'd like to put that to task Justin."

He smiled, "I would, but it's only for a chance to see Cho naked."

Ginny giggled. "Alright stop it, if I don't concentrate I'm going to mess this up, and we are dangerously low on supplies as is."

Justin patted her shoulder, and moved over to pick up the work Cho had been working on. A half hour later there was a knock on the door. 

Justin went to the door. "Who is it?"

"The wicked witch of Ravenclaw, who in the hell do you _think_ it is Justin?"

Justin smiled, and opened the door. Harry and Cho were standing there weighed down by piles of books. "Hermione, did you actually pick these books by weight or _what_?"

Hermione blushed. "No, they just have what I need." She looked apologetically at them both. "You got them all?" she asked glancing at the spines.

Ginny was trying not to stare at Harry looking for even a hair out of place or smudge of that horrendous lipstick Cho wore. Seeing nothing out of place, she smiled and went back to her potions. 

A hand fell on her shoulder, and she turned to look into Cho's eyes. "I want to talk to you Ginny. Now."

Ginny looked at the potion, it could easily sit for an hour in this state. "Ok, where?"

Cho lead Ginny to her room, and on entering it Cho sat on her bed. "Ginny, I have to confess something to you." The young Asian girl said. "I have been exceedingly jealous of your relationship with Harry, and I have allowed this to color my judgment of you, and it's really not fair." 

Ginny studied Cho for a minute. Then she smiled, and started to laugh. 

"Well, that's not exactly the response I expected, but it's better than I would have guessed." Cho said a smile touching the corners of her mouth.

"No, Justin was talking to me earlier, and said, well…" She broke into another fit of laughter. "He said you could dance naked in front of Harry singing 'take me now' and he'd move you aside to get a better look at me."

At this Cho gave an almost derisive snort. "He's not off the mark Ginny."

Ginny blinked. "Pardon me?"

"That man has it _bad_ for you. He apologized no less than thirty times for having to be so close to me to keep us both under the cover of the cloak. He was so noble when it came to carrying the books; he offered to carry the bulk of them." A tear left her eye, and traveled down her cheek. "The last time I had anyone act like that was Cedric. I did something very stupid. I went to kiss Harry."

Ginny's face got hot. "_What!?_" her voice dripped venom.

"Calm down Ginny, I said I went to. Harry put a hand up and stopped me from doing something foolish." The tears were flowing now. "Then you know what he did?"

Ginny shook her head, not daring to speak.

"He took my hands in his, and said he was flattered, but that he thought it better that he stops me before I did something I'd regret." She laughed hollowly "He wanted to tell you, and apologize to you about the whole thing like it was his fault. I have never met anyone like him Ginny. You are so lucky to have him in your life."

Ginny smiled. It was true, she was very lucky to have him in her life. "You know, he does still care about you as a friend."

Cho nodded. "I know." With that they stood and headed out to the common room, a silent truce had been formed. 

Harry was looking about the room anxiously. Ginny went to him, and kissed him deeply. "I'll be right back Harry, I need to finish this potion, and get it bottled, and then I want to talk to you." 

He nodded, and let her leave his embrace. She walked over to her cauldron, and Harry moved over to where the note was still unopened. He stared at it dubiously. "Hermione," He heard her sigh and come over. "Can you tell me if that has a portkey on it?"

She nodded, pulled out her wand and cast a quick spell on it. It glowed briefly, and then settled back to its normal look. "No portkey." She went back to her books.

Harry looked at the note dubiously still, and with the tip of his wand prodded it open.

_Potter,_

_            I don't know if this idiot Fudge actually has the presence of mind to go to Hogwarts where you are no doubt waiting for a gilded invitation to do something. Well here it is. _

_            In my chambers you will find a wooden crate with a single lock on it. The lock is magical. Place your wand tip in it, and utter the phrase "Octo Incanto" inside you will find what you need to play hero again._

_            Don't waste this opportunity Potter, the remaining students and Dumbledore are counting on you._

_Severous Snape_

            Harry blinked, and read it a second time. Of course, Snape was spying on Voldemort for Dumbledore; he had to have a way in and out of the castle. Portkeys he'd wager. 

            Ron was stirring groggily. Moving on Voldemort couldn't wait, Snape had alluded to deaths already, and they new he was dead. "Ginny, I need Ron awake and lucid."

            Ron looked over at Harry with bleary eyes, "Oi, Harry, you coming over to watch the Cannons play in the World Cup?"

            Ginny looked at him and shrugged. "I can try Harry." She rummaged through her rucksack and pulled out a greenish potion. "Have him drink this." She handed it to Hermione.

            Ron drank the potion, got a funny look on his face and retched. "My GOD! What in the _hell was that?_"

            "Armadillo bile." Ginny stated going back to finish her potion.

            "Ugh" Ron retched again. Hermione pulling books frantically away from him. "I am going to kill you Ginny. Slowly."

            "Harry said he needed you awake and lucid." She shrugged. 

            "Ok then, I am going to kill Harry first." Ron made to heave again, but managed to keep everything down. 

            Harry grinned, "Right mood, wrong target mate." He handed Ron the letter. What do you make of this?" Ron read it over quickly and handed it back to Harry. "Let me clean up and I'll get right back to you on this." Ron stood uneasily, and headed to their room, Hermione with a wrinkled nose cast a cleansing spell and another that made the air smell like pine.

            Harry heard Ron in the showers and after a moment he came back out throwing his soiled robes in the laundry chute. He was dressed in sweats now, and was still toweling his head and brushing his teeth.

            "Lemme see dat node" he mumbled around the toothbrush reaching for the note. He wandered back to the bathroom, and came back a minute later. "It's for real Harry, I believe Snape sent Fudge here with the intent of warning us."

            "Alright then." Harry looked at them all. "Who wants to get the crate from Snape's rooms?"

            Cho stepped forward almost as fast as Justin did. Harry nodded, handed them the cloak and map. "Move fast, and silent. We don't know what else is going to happen. Get the crate, and get back here."

            They nodded, took the map and cape and practically fled from the room.

            He turned to Ginny, "What can we do to help?"

            She considered. "I need these ingredients cut just so, and I need to keep this stirred, and" she said turning to Harry "I need to talk to you."

            She took his hand and led him back to his room they sat on the bed and Harry looked at her waiting for her to start. 

            "Cho and I had a talk Harry, and I think that it would be best if you formally made her your 'second in command' and not me. If anything were to happen to you, I don't think I could be strong enough to lead."

            Harry blinked. This was certainly not the talk he had expected. 

            "She still cares for you Harry, but I think she respects me far more now than before." She was smiling. "That and she's afraid I'll hex her into next month if she tries anything again."

            Harry smiled and looked at her. "Perhaps you are right." Then he gathered her in his arms and kissed her deeply. The kiss became more passionate, and powerful, before long robes and clothing were abandoned across the room, and they were enjoying the feeling of being one being. 

            They talked softly afterwards, Harry telling her plans of buying a small cottage in Hogsmeade, and they could have a garden, and children, a family to live out their lives as 'That Nice Potter Couple' rather than 'The Boy Who Lived'. 

**(Surprised at this? Harry and I only wanted to be normal. We didn't want to be hero's and the shining light of good dammit. We just wanted to be normal. Oh, and for you puritan moralists? Harry and I had been sleeping together since Sirius told us what nights he checked beds. – Ginny)**

            Ginny could not imagine a nicer future. They fell asleep like that snuggled under the covers. A knock at the door woke Harry. "What?"

            It was Justin. "Harry, we are back, we need to open this damned box." He stood and got dressed, the cottage in Hogsmeade fading into the back of his mind. 

            "I'll be right there Justin." He turned and kissed Ginny again, waking her up. 

            "Oh, I _do_ like that kind of wake up." She smiled warmly at him. She gathered together her clothes and dressed as well. 

            They entered the common room. Harry walked over to the box, inserted his wand and tried the spell, it would not open. In a bit of inspiration, Harry picked up Cedric's wand. The lock gave way, and the crate opened. Inside were two objects. A length of rope and a wristwatch. Engraved on the back of the watch was a small note:

_            To work at six am, play at midnight._

            "Ok, so I am guessing," Ron said, "'six am' comes here, and 'midnight' takes you to the death eaters."

            Harry nodded and noticed the watch was broken, it wasn't ticking at all. He looked around. "Let's get this over with then."

            They bundled up their gear, drew their wands and Harry set the watch for midnight. The common room melted to be replaced by a glade in some forest. They ducked quickly and looked around.

            Off in the distance Harry saw a fire, he pointed to it, and they broke into pairs and started moving staying low and moving in short irregular patterns.

            The first death eater never even knew anyone was in front of him when Harry's hand struck his windpipe. Harry pulled off the mask and made note of the face. They moved rapidly, only three death eaters were guarding the camp. None survived the attack. 

            "Free the students and start moving them back." Harry tossed the watch to Ron. "We have a lot of people to move and I don't know how long until someone notices."

            They all noted the distinct lack of faculty and staff. Ron was urging people to touch him. "Come on you bloody gits, I'm tall, and you only need a damned finger."

            The third group was already there when Harry spotted a figure moving towards them in the moonlight. It was Peter Pettigrew. 

            "Oh please Peter," Harry said "Come enjoy the show." His voice was filled with malice. "You are going to live so Sirius can be completely free. After that you pathetic bastard, you _will_ pay."

            Pettigrew didn't even realize the figures in black weren't the right size. He quelled at the sight of Harry. "You...You wouldn't kill me, your father…"

            Harry struck Peter hard in the face. "You are not allowed to speak of my parents."

            Harry pointed his wand at Peter a moment later Peter was in a full body bind. "I am going to enjoy this _Peter_. Ron, take this scum with you on your next trip." Harry turned away, stopped and turned back. "Keep him in the body bind. I don't want this bastard escaping again."

            Ron nodded and placed his foot on Pettigrew's face. "Reckon that should work."

            Once the last of the students from this camp were in Hogwarts Harry stood up. "I'll show you, you spineless bastard." He muttered. He raised his wand in the air, and called up power from deep inside himself. A brilliant red beam shot up into the sky splitting, crossing, and weaving until a Phoenix with wings unfurled stood over the camp. Harry leaned on Ron. "Get us out of here."

            The common room of Telisin swam into view several hours later. Harry was looking at the still stunned faces of the Companions. 

            "What. The. Bloody. Fuck. Was. That." Ron said each word to him as if accusing him of casting the Dark Mark.

            "They make people fear the night with their ugly skull. I'm taking it back." Harry stared at Ron, their eyes locked, and shortly Ron looked down a red flush in his face.

            "I'll teach you how to do it. From here on out, when we meet and defeat death eaters, we'll leave the mark behind us." He stood shakily. "Perhaps not as big." He said with a lopsided grin.

            The Companions laughed. The Phoenix Mark extended it's wingspan a good fifty meters.

            "You'd think," Harry said after they calmed down a bit "Voldemort is going to be positively beside himself with fury."

            "Where are the students?" Harry asked. 

            Ginny grabbed his arm and pulled him to the door. "They are all waiting in the Great Hall."

            They moved to the Great Hall, and Harry noticed right away how few students there were. He counted them out. Less than two hundred were there. As soon as the doors opened, they had all become silent. Harry surveyed them. 

            "They all have been checked over?" Harry asked seeing some cradling limbs.

            "Yes, there is nothing but superficial wounds, some abrasions. But we don't have the supplies to treat those." Ginny looked frustrated. "As is, I had to spread potions and salves awful thin."

            Harry nodded. He had reached the head table where the teachers normally sat. He turned to face the students. "I have to ask you all some questions. Please answer so we can recover more of our missing classmates. Do any of you know where the rest were taken?"

            One boy stood, Harry barely recognized him. "I know where they are Potter."

            "Ok Malfoy, where are they?" Harry asked trying to keep his tone civil.

            "You give me a wand and one of those fancy robes, and I'll take you." Malfoy said looking determined.

            "Sorry Malfoy. I can't do that." Harry said "The rules are simple, ten members on the team, no more no less." He crossed his arms signaling the finality of the statement. 

            Malfoy glared at Harry. They stood like that with eyes locked until Malfoy finally wavered. "They were taken to Malfoy Manor."

            Harry thought this over for a minute. "Alright Malfoy, come with us." They headed for the Telisin common room. The trolls glared at Malfoy. 

            "He no Tel'sin" Trog pointed his club at Malfoy. "He no enters."

            Harry thought a moment. "Trog, we need Draco to get the rest of the students. We need to plan a way to break them out. We need him to be able to come into the common room."

            Trog thought a bit. Finally he said "K, he kin come. But must have Tel'sin wid him all time."

            Harry nodded. "I'll be responsible for him."

            Trog nodded. "You 'sponsble."

            They moved to the statue, all ten said 'Voldemort' causing Malfoy to flinch. The statue stood still. Harry turned to Malfoy. "All it is Draco is a word." He surprised himself and Malfoy with the kindness in his tone.

            "V-Voldemort" Malfoy said, shivering with the daring of mentioning the name. Even his father didn't say it.

            Once they got into the common room, Harry turned to Draco. "Sit. Now Malfoy, two things. One, you must get over your fear of a simple name. It's no different than Lucius, or Tom, or Albus. They are all just names. Voldemort is no different."

            Draco raised an eyebrow. "And the second?"

            Harry looked at him evenly. "I hate you Draco. With every fiber of my being; I can't stand that we have to share the same planet. However, I know you hate the people who did this to you. As do I. I don't trust you, and I'd as rather see you left behind than saved. The only redemption you have right now is to find a way for me to recover the still living students and staff. Have I made myself clear to you?"

            Draco was quite taken aback by Harry's statement. _He said it like saying that the sky was blue, and the sun rose in the east._ "So, I'm worthless to you then."

            "No Draco, you have value, your information will provide invaluable in recovering students and teachers. Beyond that, I won't guarantee anything."

            Harry turned to Ron. "Get what you out of him, then you can get him out of my house."

            Ron nodded and led Draco to the planning table. Harry turned to Ginny, and drew her to him. He whispered in her ear. "Fancy a shower love?"

            Ginny grinned and followed him into the dormitory. Draco's eyes followed them hatred burning there until Ron snapped his fingers in front of Draco's face.

            "Eyes here." Ron was pointing to the maps. "I'm going to give you a small bit of free and friendly advice lad." Draco looked at Ron as if he were offering him a sweet. "Ginny and Harry are as good as married. Now, I'm not one to approve exactly, but I am happy for my sister, and if you do _anything_ to make her upset. I will make you pay."

            "Well, aren't you just a ray of sunshine?" Draco asked spitefully.

            "Nope, I'm not. But she happens to be his, and if you know what's good for you Malfoy, you'll just let it drop, clear?" Justin glared at Draco as he said this.

            "What, Potter can't fight his own battles? Needs his fan club to aid him?" He glared at the assembled people. "You are all actually encouraging him in this?"

            Cho walked up to Draco, and with a speed he did not know was possible struck him in the face. "Never, ever say anything like that again, unless you are tired of breathing you pompous asshole."

            _Well, they are fiercely loyal, even a Ravenclaw._ Draco thought. _Tight knit too, almost thinking as if they were one person._ "Fine, now what do you want to know?"

            "Everything," said Susan Bones "We want to know every detail about that cesspit you called home. Then we are going to go remodel."

            Draco was shocked. Ok, so his family wasn't the most giving in the wizardling community, but Bones was a respected family. What did this to these people?

            "The map, Draco. I want to see everything." Ron stated. 

            It was well after midnight when Justin and Cho 'escorted' Draco back to the Slytherin common room. "Stay here. Meals will be provided in the common room." The same instructions had been given to all students. 

            At two in the morning Ron was still pouring over maps when Hermione came over and started rubbing his shoulders and neck, her hand slipped inside his shirt, and her lips grazed his neck. He moaned softly, and stood up. "Time for bed, I'd wager." He grinned at Hermione. 

            "Funny, I don't feel tired." She teased.

            "Good." Ron grabbed her, and flung her over his shoulder, she pounded on his back, laughing all the way to the bedrooms. They paused in the hallway, the door to his and Harry's room had a sock over the handle. Ron snickered, well then. He took off one of Hermione's socks and placed it over the handle to her room. "Your place it looks like, I've been evicted." They both chuckled, and headed in. 


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

            Eight in the morning Harry was pounding on doors. "Let's go, rise and shine."

            Ron lifted one eyelid and smiled seeing Hermione snuggled against him. He lifted his head from the pillow and shouted "Sod off."

            Ginny opened the door. "Ron, this is serious. We need everyone in the common room right now."

            He woke, and started pulling on clothing, rousing Hermione with a kiss. "Come on love, something's afoot." He padded out to the common room, robe open, no shirt, socks in one hand, and shoes in the other.

            Harry was already there, looking as if he stepped off the cover of Wizards Quarterly. His hair was messy, but still damp enough to appear as if he knew what a comb was. His robes were clean and straight. 

            "Well, don't you look dapper as all hell?" Ron asked hopping as he slid on his socks. Hermione slid into the room looking tired, but presentable.

            "We found something." Harry had a notebook in his hand, Ron recognized it, it's the one Harry kept a log of his nightmares in. 

            "What?" Ron asked going back to his maps and notes.

            "Malfoy manor is a trap. We were allowed to save only pure blood students. The rest are muggle-born or half and half. Though there are some pure bloods like Neville Longbottom, whose family was known to actively resist Voldemort the first time around." 

            Ron looked at Harry. "Yeah, I noticed that too mate." 

            "So what do we do then?" Cho asked.

            "Simple. We ask Snape." Harry answered. "He was slipping in and out of there; we just need answers from him. Hermione, any progress with that?"

            She nodded, "I should be able to give you something that will allow him to be lucid for a short while, perhaps an hour, perhaps less."

            "How long until you have it worked out?" He asked.

            "A couple hours." She dove back into her books.

            "Harry, there is another option." Susan was looking at him. "Draco Malfoy."

            "Malfoy is not an option." Harry stated firmly. 

            Susan simply nodded, the issue was dead now. 

            Ginny thought for a moment. "Harry, a word please, in private." He looked at her quizzically, but followed her.

            They went into his room, and sat on his bed. "Harry, I don't want to sound like I'm interfering with your leading us, but we need every advantage we can get. Draco would know that place like the back of his hand."

            He looked at her. "Yes, you are absolutely right, every inch of it. Funny how he was handed to us to save, don't you think?"

            She looked stunned, the answer was so obvious. "You really think so Harry?"

            "There's only one way to find out; come on."

            They headed to the common room. "Justin, Cho, you are with Ginny and me."

            Ron looked up from his maps of the manor. "Harry, what's up?"

            "We are paying a social call to Slytherin. Back shortly, and keep an eye on the map." Harry said as they left.

            The Marauder's Map was now affixed to the wall. Lisa was watching over the map, so Ron went back to his planning. 

            The others busied themselves with concocting the potion Lisa had come up with, some vile fluid that would dampen the magic flow of anyone doused in it. It took a while to prepare, but not much in each of the vials was needed to render a full grown witch or wizard virtually magically impotent. She found the potion in a set of notes lifted from Snape's office.

            The four soon found themselves in front of the Slytherin common room. "Draconis Majorie" the wall slid aside, and they walked in.

            "Where's Draco Malfoy?" Harry asked of the Slytherin students who were gathered and eating. 

            They looked almost rebellious, how dare an _ex-Gryffindor_ enter their chamber and speak to them like that?

            Justin stepped forward, and pointed at a first year boy. "You. Come here."

            The boy stood shakily, and moved towards him. "Y-Yes?"

            "Tell me," Justin asked in a comforting voice. "Where can we find Draco Malfoy?"

            The boy thought a moment. "He left."

            Suddenly Ginny felt the air around her tingle. Harry looked at the first year his blazing eyes boring into the boys' "**_Where did he go?_**" 

            The boy looked petrified. "H-He s-said he was going for a walk, and left." His voice was a mere whimper.

            "**_Does anyone else know where he went?_**" Harry's eyes fixed a fifth year girl. She looked about to faint under his gaze. 

            As suddenly as the air had become charged, it was gone. "If he returns tell him I need to see him." Harry walked stiffly out of the room. He made it to the entrance when he turned to Ginny, and with a dazed expression said "I think I missed our anniversary…" and he passed out. Cho helped hold him up as Justin summoned a stretcher, and they took him back to the common room. He woke after only a half hour. 

            He noticed after this bout, that he was able to leave Slytherin; Ginny told him he had made it to the entrance room, but omitted the anniversary comment. He also noted he wasn't as hungry.

            By this time Hermione had everything they needed. All ten left the common room and went to Dumbledore's office. Once inside, they used one spell to summon Snape, and the second to lend him sanity. It took nearly an hour before they were finished. When it was over Snape turned to Harry.

            "Potter, you have far surpassed our expectations of you. Now, you have one last task to perform. I left notes in my office, there is a potion I was working on, and perhaps Grainger can complete it. It's what the muggles call a virus. It eats away at the magical folk, causing them to become squibs. Applied appropriately, this may be a way to defeat Voldemort."

            Harry jotted down the note to himself. He stood making ready to leave.

            "Harry." Snape said softly. "I need you to promise me something." 

            "What?" He was still shocked Snape had used his first name.

            "Promise me you'll find a way to banish me. I can't stand this existence. Without this charm I can only feel the pain. Release me so that I - So that I can see the others who have gone." 

            "I will Professor." Harry left the chamber.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

            Two days later found Hermione researching more on the expulsion of ghosts than on the entry to Malfoy Manor. She was curled up with _1001 Banishments and Exorcisms for Fun and Profit_. Harry had been explicit. They needed to release Snape not only painlessly, but in full retention of his sanity. She sighed, now if only he hadn't tried to get Harry to do the noble thing.

            She rose from her chair head throbbing. "_Fuck!_" and she threw the book against the wall.

            Nine heads snapped up. Ron's mouth was actually hanging open. 

            "What?" she glared at them all, and stormed towards the dorms. 

            "Ron, I think you should go see to her." Harry said slowly. "You might want to take her something for the pain."

            Ron nodded, and accepted the small potion bottle from Ginny. "It's not armadillo bile, is it?"

            Ginny rolled her eyes and smacked Ron. "No, I keep that special for you."

            Harry watched as Ron took a piece of parchment and scribbled on it, finally sticking it on the bulletin board. 

            _November 10th – Hermione Grainger shouted 'Fuck!' and threw a book._

            **(Ok, I'd like to defend myself here. Ron makes a big deal out of this, but if you had to research a painless way to banish a spirit and retain full sanity, see how long it takes you to throw a book and swear. - Hermione)**

            They had just a few more hours until sunset. The moon was just a pale sliver, and their cloaks would be almost as good as invisibility cloaks until they entered the house. If Draco had not been lying, they would be fairly effective inside as well, as the house is mostly wrapped in deep shadows.

            They cleared off the table, took out their plates and set the table properly for once. It was a ritual Harry had decided to start. From here on out prior to each foray they would eat a decent meal using plates, and drinking from glasses.

            **(This is a great passage, and a testament to Harry's integrity. It's also 100% true. From this moment on we never moved against the death eaters without a proper meal. Though at times 'proper meal' may not have been a wholly accurate description, but he meant well, and it meant so much to us all. – Cho)**

            The meal was almost light hearted. Ron and Hermione returned after she drank the pain killer, and entered into the conversation freely. They ate the meal savoring it, and enjoying the atmosphere as well as the company and food itself.

            Three hours later, they were shouldering rucksacks and making mental checklists of gear. Harry looked at the fireplace and sighed. He hated the floo network. A small pinch of powder, and the flames glowed green. "Tempus Cabin" and he was pulled into the network. He tumbled out into a small cabin about four miles from Malfoy Manor. It was here that they would move into the grounds.

            The cabin had been used by Snape to come and go from Malfoy Manor while alive. Snape had explained that he found the cabin and secretly had it connected to the floo network. It was just inside the wards that protected Malfoy Manor so their entry would be unnoticed.

            Ten figures left the cabin moving swiftly, but quietly in teams of two. They moved without making sounds only gestures. Ahead the manor house stood almost dark. Harry smiled. _All the better to move in on you._ He made eye contact with Ron. He had seen three death eaters ahead. He lifted three fingers, and pointed them out. Ron and Hermione readied the potions. He looked at Ginny, and winked at her.

            She smile back, licked her lips and blew him a kiss. 

            _Damn, she is going to be the death of me._ He thought tearing his mind away from the unspoken promise. _Focus Potter. Focus. Death eaters now, Ginny later._

            He looked again watching the movements of the wizards. His hand was mid drop when the first vial hit. The three death eaters were still trying to cast when Cho and Justin moved in on them. 

            Only one survived the fight. "You have about three minutes to live." Harry explained to the man on the ground. "So make them worthwhile. Tell us what we want to know."

            "You won't kill me Potter." The man's voice was familiar to Harry. 

            "Well, perhaps not." Harry answered. "I mean to say is _I_ won't kill you. But I am sure Cho would take a great amount of satisfaction in it. I remember you now. _You_ were one of the scum that attacked Cedric and myself. You were the one that cast Avada Cadabra on him, aren't you? 'Kill the spare.' I believe was all Voldemort had to say, wasn't it?"

            Cho's eyes darkened dangerously. "You killed Cedric?"

            The man looked at her. "I was under orders."

            Cho looked at Harry. "Leave him to me."

            Harry placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered into her ear for a full minute. Cho's face softened and in the end took a hard edge to it. "I understand Harry."

            "So, tell me then." Harry turned to their captive. "Where are the students and staff being held?"

            "Go to hell Potter." 

            "Ohhh, wrong answer." Harry stood up, and reached for Ginny's pack. He came out with a vial of clear liquid. He showed it to the death eater. "You do of course know what this is?"

            The death eater blanched. "Y-yes."

            "Now, I'd hate to waste this on someone who is going to die anyway. So talk of your own free will, or I _will_ administer this, and you _will_ answer me." He unstoppered the vial allowing the scent to waft to the man. "It's veritas serum, alright, and I will get the answers."

            He told them what Harry wanted to know. After a few minutes Ron had revised his plan and explained it to them. Cho's eyes never left the man, hatred burning in her like a furnace.

            They got ready to leave. Harry placed a hand on Cho's shoulder their eyes met and he spoke to her gravely. "Don't tarry, we have a lot to do tonight."

            The death eater who Harry realized he didn't even know, or care what his name had been died a minute later.

            **(Ginny explained in the beginning of the book that we could care less what you thought of us. She's right. You sent Aurors to these people, and they had nice long trials and most were pardoned it was bullshit. Every one of Voldemorts' supporters came flocking back to him save Severous Snape. There was no control, they were scum, and deserved to die like scum. Cho had lost someone special, and so did I. – Susan)**

            They slid closer to the manor, each taking care that their partner was with them and ok. Silence cloaked them as they moved forward almost as effectively as the darkness. They found the servant's entrance where Draco had told them it would be. Hermione looked at the door and waved her wand "_Aloha Mora_" the door stayed closed. Ron reached over, and turned the handle. It was unlocked.

            "What bloody fool leaves doors unlocked?" Hermione asked frustrated.

            Harry had to stifle a chuckle. "Apparently Lucius Malfoy."

            The kitchen was deserted, and they had easy access to the main halls, the dungeon entrance was their first goal. This door was open as well, causing Ron some discomfort. "Is Malfoy just an imbecile? Who leaves their doors wide open?"

            Harry was feeling his share of doubt as well. Indeed who would leave such an easy pathway into the manor. Unless… "It's a trap." Harry stated. "We were set up." They were poised about to enter the dungeon. "We need to get out of here now."

            They headed back towards the kitchen, finding the door leading to that room closed and locked. "Shit." Ron glared at the door as if willing it to open. "This was too bloody easy."

            Harry grinned. "Ok then, follow me." 

They headed back to the dungeons. "Harry, have you lost it mate? Remember, trap, bad guys?"

Harry looked at Justin and grinned again. "Right you are, but now we know it's a trap, so we won't be surprised." He eased a vial of the magic drainer into his hand. "Just be ready."

They moved into the holding area, to find a knot of students. Many were beaten; some had been abused with more than just hands and sticks. Fury built in all ten of them. They freed the students, and Ron started a fire in the fireplace. He threw in a bit of powder, and the flamed turned green. "It's connected." The students fled Malfoy Manor for Hogwarts.

One of the older Ravenclaws looked at Cho. "There are more students deeper in; they are setting a trap you know."

Cho smiled back, no humor was found in her eyes or bearing. "I know. It's the worst mistake of their lives, and their last."

He was taken aback by her mannerisms, and her attitude. "Keep everyone in the Great Hall until we get there." Harry snapped the seventh year out of his staring at Cho. "Now get out of here."

They progressed carefully thought the dungeon, and found, much to their outrage and horror a room where several of the female students were being forced to service death eaters. The men never knew what hit them. The ward potions hit them leaving them powerless against the magic used against by the Companions. Since the Death Eaters relied on magic to protect them, they were unable to even put up a fight. The girls were released from their bindings, and given what clothing could be found. Harry hated sending them back alone, but he knew they'd never get another shot at this.

The rage burned deep inside all of them now. These were their friends, and classmates, housemates. Their outrage became as a purging fire.

The next room held the remaining captives. As with the first group, they were malnourished, and had been obviously beaten. Harry was sick with revulsion. He made note of some names, and the students were sent back to Hogwarts. 

There had been no one here; apparently they had been enjoying themselves in the room with the female students. As the last student left, Harry noticed a door. He pointed to it, and they split into teams automatically Ron and Hermione were closer to the door, and eased it open. 

Inside was a chamber that Harry wished he had never seen. The students who didn't survive were here. They had been preserved, much the same way Hermione had preserved Fudge until they could arrange to bury him.

All in all Harry added twenty five names to his book. Fury burned cold in his eyes. They left the bodies, tears streaming down their faces as they made note of names. Harry simply wrote, and swore under his breath.

With all the energy he could muster, he conjured the phoenix to mark this spot. They all gathered around Ron who set the watch for 'six am' and waited a second for the pull. Malfoy Manor vanished, and they were met with chaos in the Great Hall.

            They tended to the injured as best as they could, and attempted to assure the students that they were safe now, and took them to their common rooms. _At this rate_ Harry thought leading the Gryffindor students back to their common room. _We need to get some help. We can't keep treating these kids; they need their parents, or at least adults._


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Harry wandered into to the common room a half hour later. Ginny was sitting quietly in a chair reading a potions book on advanced medical drafts. The rest of the Companions were missing. Harry raised his eyebrow to Ginny. "Oh, what, you think we are the only ones with a relationship?" She asked in faux shock.

Suddenly it registered to him "You mean Lisa and…" his eyes opened wide.

"Well Dean and Hanna have been pretty friendly lately, Justin and Cho came together after we got back tonight, and well you know about us, and Ron and Hermione."

He looked at Ginny, "How long have Lisa and Susan been together?" His mind reeled that the whispered discussions he'd heard about them might be true.

Ginny laughed "Since your third year Harry. They have just been quiet about it."

Harry snorted. "I mean I had heard things, but I didn't really believe them. How come I'm the last to know this stuff?"

"Well, two reasons Harry. One you are dense as stone when it comes to matters of the heart, and two you had other things on your mind." Ginny explained to him patiently.

"So what do we do while the rest of the Companions work out their extra energy?" Harry asked almost grumpily.

"Why Harry, have so little imagination?" Ginny laughed and flung a book at him. "Read oh Wise One."

Harry picked up the book; Ron had been trying to get him to read it for months. "What can I learn from this?"

"Harry, dear." Ginny started sounding a frightening lot like Molly Weasley, "He was the greatest military thinker of his time, and while some of what he says is out of date the ideas are all sound."

"And what in the hell kind of name is 'Sun Tsu'" But he sighed and started reading anyway.

Harry glanced up from his book, oddly, much of it made perfect sense. While many of the passages contained archaic terms, there was much that was enlightening to say the least. He stretched, and headed to the table where he was shocked to find the rest of the house already starting.

"Came up for air?" Ron asked around a chicken leg.

Harry glanced at the table, and stopped, an odd look crossing his face.

"Harry? What's wrong?" Hermione asked him. 

It was as if he saw everything for the first time. "I'm not hungry." He turned his back on the table and stared out into the inky darkness of night. 

The conversation at the table had stopped. He felt Ginny moving towards him. "Harry, what's wrong?" 

A cold, hollow laugh escaped his lips. "You don't see it do you?" He turned to the others suddenly, the look on his face was similar to look he had in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor, pure rage padded by disgust. "We are clean, warm, dry, well fed. Look at how those kids were treated and we are sitting here eating chicken, and reading, showering and…" his voice trailed off, grief was threatening to overwhelm him.

Cho walked up to Harry, and with a 'CRACK' that echoed through the common room, and stunned all of them, Harry most of all. "_How dare you, you arrogant bastard_." Her voice cut through him like steel. "What are we supposed to do Harry?"

Harry slumped against the wall. The mark of Cho's had glowing across the left side of his face. "I don't know Cho, but how can we sit here pretending nothing has happened, like there aren't kids, _good kids_ who are right now afraid of the dark because that's when Malfoy's bastard followers would come use them?" His eye's lit up again, the passion and anger swelling. "How in the hell can we let them breathe even one more day?"

Cho glared at him. "_You have no right Potter_." Their eyes met the others backed away from them as they felt raw magic begin to surge in the room. "**_You do not have the right to bear all this on your own. We are a group, a family; we bear this together or not at all._**"

Harry blinked. "Cho?"

She Looked at Harry oddly for a minute. "You're not Cedric…" and passed out.

"Well, that was… unexpected." Ron looked nervously at Cho. "How did she learn to do _that_?"

Harry shrugged, "I really have no idea Ron. Well, let's get her on the couch, and order up a whopping huge second course for her."

Ginny placed a hand on his shoulder. "Need to talk?"

Harry smiled gently at her. "No, actually, I think I got it all out now."

She chuckled as her lips brushed over his.

"So Harry," Justin looked up from Cho's sleeping face. "Want to tell us how you really feel mate?" 

Nervous laughter filled the common room and even Harry had to admit he was right. They were only human, and eating bugs and living in cages would only make them easy targets. "Justin, do you want me to bring your meal to you?" Harry asked softly. Justin nodded, and Harry brought over his plate, and goblet. "She'll be ok Justin." 

Justin looked up at Harry Potter. He was so many things to so many people, some sort of icon in the wizardling world, and to be honest every boy worshipped the Boy Hero, and dreamt to be him. Justin had come to realize that the idolizing hadn't gone to his head; he was just a scared kid, like himself. The only difference was Justin had family to turn to, from what he heard tell from Ron, Ginny and Hermione Harry's family was almost as bad as Voldemort. How he managed to survive this long Justin could not fathom. "Yeah, I know. I'm just going to stay here a bit." 

Harry smiled and nodded. "I understand." He turned as if to leave them and stopped, then he spoke again, softly, and Justin barely heard the words. "We need to all live for now. Because this minute could be all we have. You and Cho are good together; she needs someone to help her heal from Cedric."

Justin nodded, seeing a tear travel down his cheek. "You know Harry; you can't save everyone by yourself."

Harry nodded, brushed the tear away, and sat down to eat.

Hermione had been getting copies of the _Daily Prophet_ delivered since the middle of last year, and she was just opening today's edition.  What they saw on the front page was highly amusing.

_AFFLUENT WIZARDING FAMILY ATTACKED BY OFFSHOOT OF THE DEATH EATERS._

_Apparently, at dusk two days ago, a small, well trained, and heavily armed force of death eaters convinced of the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named attacked the home of Lucius Malfoy._

_"It was an unprovoked and completely disgusting cowardly attack." Said long time friend of the family Macnair. "They barged in during supper, and threw around curses. They stole some valuable jewelry and artifacts, no doubt to pay for their fiendish plans."_

_Minister Fudge has been unavailable for comment, and has not been seen publicly for nearly a week, nor has Fudges most vocal opponent Headmaster Albus Dumbledore._

Harry threw the paper down in disgust. "Us death eaters! This is asinine! I've half a mind to set them straight!"

"And tell the real death eaters how to find us Harry?" Justin asked from Cho's side. "No, let this go, we can use it to our advantage later on."

"Ok, enough of this. I need to know where the rest of them are." Harry turned to Ron and Hermione. "Go talk to the kids we rescued this morning. Find out anything you can. We need to recover more students." The two stood and headed to the exit. "I'm sorry, but you may have to ask the abuse victims too." They heard the pang of regret in his voice. "Lisa, and Susan, we need more of the dampening potions. I don't care what you need to do to get the ingredients, just get them. Also work on the potion Snape gave us. I want that ready to go before we move again. Ginny, you and I will double check the supplies. Dean, Hanna I need you two to go back over everything we have so far, I don't care how you find out, but I need to know how to get to Lucius Malfoy. He has become my Number two most wanted."

The common room felt more like home with people working Harry thought, more like Gryffindor. Ginny and he had just completed their inventory, and were deciding what supplies needed when there was a knock, well more like a pounding, at the door. Harry strode over to the door unbolted it and opened it to see a troll leering at him. 

"'Arry Pott'r 'as a vis'tor." The troll drawled out.

Harry left the common room following the troll. Standing in the hallway was a man Harry could not remember ever meeting, though to be honest since his return to the wizardling world, he had met a lot of people. 

"Harry! How are you?" The man seemed genuinely glad to see Harry. 

"What can I do for you Mr…" Harry hoped he'd get the hint.

"Kleeves," the man said his smile toned down a notch. He was obviously hurt that Harry didn't remember him. He looked him over again thinking back. Tallish, though not much over six foot, not overweight or over muscular, but not skinny either. Robes were in good repair, but not particularly fashionable, blondish red hair and grey eyes. This man was singularly unremarkable.

"Well then Mr. Kleeves, tell me what an American is doing at Hogwarts?"

"Why, looking for you! You didn't think Dumbledore would leave you to your own devices do you? I just recently got a notice that his office has been vacant too long." He turned to the trolls. "Are you going to get us past them? What I have to tell you is for you and your house alone."

His eyes locked on Harry's "This is urgent Harry, we don't have much time."

"Follow me then." He turned and led him to the statue. "Voldemort." After a short pause Harry looked at him. "Erm, you have to say it too." 

"Oh, yes, yes of course… Sorry. Voldemort" Kleeves said easily to the statue. 

They entered the common room, and Harry turned on Kleeves. "In about ten minutes, I'm calling the trolls in here. Convince me not to." He crossed his arms and leaned against the couch where Cho was still sleeping. His gaze never wavered from Kleeves.

"Ok then, here goes. I was sent for by Dumbledore to train you ten." He looked at them, young and cocky. "However, I only count eight of you, counting the unconscious girl. I assume the other two are…" he pulled the same trick Harry had in the hall.

"Interviewing the kids we recovered from Malfoy Manor." Harry answered.

"Well, I'm sorry Harry, but this has to wait until their return." He walked to the table knocked on it, and a goblet appeared filled with a deep brown liquid. He spun a chair around and sat in it backwards, sipping from the goblet.

Ginny looked from the stranger to Harry, and saw the anger rising in him. She made to move to Harry. "**_Ginny, stop._**" The stranger said, and she froze in her tracks. "**_Let him get brassed._**"

Ginny's' head spun towards Kleeves. "_What?_"

"I said, let him get brassed." Kleeves said nonchalantly.

Harry was staring at Kleeves with a slack mouth. "Explain how you do that."

"You should know by now Harry, and unless I am horribly mistaken, and I'm not, Ms. Chang knows how as well. Though honestly, I'd have expected the next one to be Granger or one of the Weasleys." He took another sip from his goblet.

"Who in the hell are you?" Harry's hand was straying to his wand. 

"Don't do that Harry. You'd hate the consequences." Kleeves finished his drink and placed the goblet on the table, and it sank away out of sight. 

He looked around the room at each person in turn finally settling on Harry. "Play cards?"

"I beg your pardon?" Harry couldn't believe the audacity of this man.

"Do. You. Play. Cards. You know the little rectangle piece of cardboard, with numbers on one side and a pattern on the other?" He reached into his cloak and drew out a deck of cards. A hole was punched neatly in the middle, and the backing had _Excalibur Hotel and Casino_ on it.

"No." Harry answered.

"Good, then I'll win a few hands. Come sit down." He gestured to the table. 

Harry and Ginny took seats. "The game is five card stud. Simple game and we play for information. The one with the best hand asks a question, and the loser has to answer it honestly." He stuck out his hand. Harry shook it feeling the magical binding. He then shook with Ginny. "Ok, good. Shall we then?"

He dealt five cards to each with a practiced hand. Harry glanced at his cards, he knew poker well enough, and Fred and George had played a few 'friendly games' with him until he wised up to them. _Two pair, not bad_' He considered the cards. "I'll raise your question, with another question."

Kleeves grinned. "I like your style. Are you in or out Ms. Weasley?"

"In." She replied.

They laid down their cards Ginny had three of a kind, and Kleeves a royal flush. "I win." He said. He turned to Ginny. "Are you a natural read head?"

Ginny blushed scarlet. "HEY! That is none of your damn business!" Harry exploded from his seat. 

"I'm just asking, I didn't mean she had to _prove_ anything." Kleeves shrugged. "Besides, that's my question, and she is bound to answer."

"Yes." Was her reply, Ginny was liking the man less and less.

"Do you love Harry?" Kleeves asked calm as if he had asked the time of day.

"What the hell kind of questions are these?" Harry asked his voice tense.

"I won them, they are my questions, and I'll ask whatever I chose."

"Of course I do." Ginny said pride in her voice.

Kleeves turned to Harry. "Good, now, do you love Ginny?"

Harry looked like he'd rather kill Kleeves than continue this game. "Yes Kleeves, I do, very much."

"Excellent. Now Harry, this is important, so think about this before you answer. Would you kill Ron to save Ginny?"

Harry sat there stunned. What in the hell was he getting at? "Kleeves, I don't understand what is going on, I need some explanation first."

"No Harry you don't you simply need to say 'yes' or 'no'." Kleeves face was impassive as the stone walls.

"Under certain circumstances, yes I would." Harry said his voice cold with anger.

"Good." He pulled out his wand and placed it on the table. "Now Harry. Listen to me carefully. Draw your wand, and point it at the door. If Ron comes in alone, kill him."

"You are completely mad Kleeves! I'll do no such thing!"

"Then, Harry, in five minutes time Ginny will be dead." He stood up and move to the fireplace.

Harry looked at Ginny; her face was showing the pain of the thought process. Harry moved in front of her, and picked up Kleeves wand. "What are you playing at Kleeves?"

"I'm not Harry. I'm not." He rubbed his hands in front of the fire warming them.

Time seemed to stand still, Harry's wand still in his hand was pointing at the door. Had it been more than five minutes? He didn't think so, and a small hand grabbing his arm told him Ginny was thinking the same thing.

The door slowly slid open. Ron Weasley walked into the common room and looked around. "What, I got something on my nose?"

Harry had a moment of indecision. "Ron, did Dumbledore get his Christmas Present?"

Ron blinked. "Of course."

"_Stupefy_" Ron slid into unconsciousness on the floor. Harry looked down at him. "That's not Ron."

Kleeves looked at Harry a moment. "How did you know to trust me and not him? And why didn't you kill him?"

Harry glanced at Kleeves. "_Stupefy_". 

He walked over to the two unconscious forms on the floor. "Bind them in manacles. Then wake 'Kleeves', he has explaining to do. When the Polyjuice potion wears of 'Ron' we'll find out what he knows."

With Kleeves bound in the manacles, Harry searched him, finding nothing, he slipped Kleeves' wand in his pocket. He grabbed a dampening potion and doused Kleeves in it; he pointed his wand at the unconscious man, and said "_Enervate_". 

Kleeves woke with a start. His eyes darted from person to person. "_Accio_ wand." He was holding his hand up palm out. "Dampening potion then?" His hand folded into the other in his lap. "Nice manacles."

"Thanks the caretaker here has been most gracious and kept them well maintained throughout the years." Harry pulled up a chair. "Now Mr. Kleeves, we return to my last statement to you. You have five minutes." he pointed his wand tip to his watch. "_Engorgio_" and placed the now enlarged watch on the ground between them. "Convince me not to kill you."

Kleeves looked at the watch. "Nice watch."

Harry sighed deeply. "Talk Kleeves, I don't kill in cold blood."

"Harry, how much do you know about the way the world works?"

"The planet revolves around the sun. We get days and nights, and the years crawl by. Though for you time is precious, and my patience is running damn short."

"Well, physically, yeah. But metaphorically I mean Harry." He was sitting almost perfectly still, looking at Harry as if he were teaching a class.

"Well," this was something Harry had not contemplated, "not much I guess. What has this to do with anything?"

"Why, everything of course." His tone took one of a professor easily "simply put for the most part our choices dictate simply our own lives, not the world. Some people however are placed in a unique position that their choices _will_ dictate the choices of others."

"Well like a mother and father?" his natural curiosity was taking over.

"Exactly, they make choices that dictate for their children; however some people will make choices that affect _literally_ everyone."

"I see. So if one of these people were to not do something, it could alter the thinking of others?"

"Well, in a simple sense, yes." He pointed to the floor. "What would be different if these stones were marble rather than granite?"

Harry thought a moment. "Umm, nothing?"

"Exactly, in the grander scheme of things not a damn thing." He favored Harry with a smile.

"What the hell has this to do with us?" Cho had apparently woken during this exchange. "And who in the hell are you?"

"In a minute Cho." Harry said. "Go on Kleeves."

"So, assuming that something of that magnitude means nothing in the grander scheme of things, imagine the power behind the decisions made if one person's choices dictated the overall thinking of the entire human race, both wizard and muggle."

Harry definitely did not like the direction this conversation was taking. "Who."

"Well, there are two right now that we know of." He stood at this awkwardly, and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "You and Voldemort."

"So when we make a choice, this can affect the thinking patterns of the world?"

"Yes. When you strike against Voldemorts forces, it weakens the impact of his ability to make influential choices. When he or his death eaters kill, it lessens the impact of your choices." He gave Harry's shoulder a light squeeze.

"So we need to keep fighting him? That's what you came to tell me? Why bother?" Harry was confused by this turn of events.

"Simple Harry, you are going to be tempted to quit the fight, and that simply cannot be allowed. We are counting on your victories."

"We?" Cho asked looking curious now.

"You don't really think you are the only ones fighting?" Kleeves turned to Cho. "There are witches and wizards all over the world fighting, in one capacity or another." He looked at them. "And you ten are our best hope for victory."

"Why us though? What makes us so damn special?" Ginny finally broke her silence.

"Why Ginny, you know the answer already, or I'm sadly mistaken about that ring." 

"What has this to do with anything?"

"Once again, everything. Voldemort can't comprehend the emotion that made Harry give you that ring. Trust, love, friendship… These are foreign to him. As Tom Riddle he was shunted from the orphanage to poor schooling, and no friends, no one to care for him. He desired power more than anything; power to hurt those who hurt him." He turned to Harry. "By comparison, we have Harry, who was forcibly removed from his loving family, and placed with his muggle aunt and uncle who hated everything about him, he was placed in a worse environment than Riddle was, and yet he desires love, friendship, and a family, not power."

Harry looked stunned, and a bit shamed at his past so casually discussed. "So you are saying that by all rights I am truly the opposite of Riddle even though we share a common history?"

"Exactly Harry, exactly." He sat back down. "So how did I do then?"

Ginny stood behind Harry her hand on his shoulder. "You think we are special then?"

"No Ginny, I know you are. See, so long as you continue on, we have a chance. The war really is not going well, and any icon we have is a good one." He looked at Harry again. "Well, my time is about up." He looked at the 'Ron' on the floor. "Tell him my apologies." He flashed Ginny a smile. "You two really do make a hell of a couple." With that said he waved. "Be seeing you all." And he vanished.

Harry swore loud and long impressing most of the people there by not only the rather lengthy tirade, but the colorful metaphors.

He turned to the others, and pointed at Ron. "Strip him."

Cho raised her eyebrows. But sent Justin to help Harry remove the clothing from the wizard disguised as Ron.

They had the clothing in a neat pile, and a towel around his waist when he woke. "I take it," he said holding his head "that wasn't the pass code?"

"No." Harry said bluntly. "It wasn't. Your accomplice has already left via portkey. _You_ however won't be. Now we have some questions."

"Oh, I am sure you do. Is that rather large watch accurate?" he asked curiously.

"Yes, why?" Harry asked.

"Well, in that case, we have about fifteen minutes, Mr. Potter. So please, by all means ask away."

Harry groaned. "Where's the portkey?"

"We swallow them." He grinned mirthlessly "it makes recovery easier."

Harry hadn't thought of that, but it was definitely an option. "Ok, first, I am not calling you Ron, so what's your real name?"

"Kerry"

Harry's mouth fell open. "Erm," and he quickly turned away from the image of his friend "do you want to get dressed?" his face was scarlet. 

"Sure Harry and thanks. I'd hate like hell to wind up back in the center with just this towel, I wouldn't hear the end of it for months." After a brief rustling of clothing. "Ok I'm decent."

Harry turned back around to see Ron's face shifting and melting. He shrunk in size and form, finally a lithe woman sat in front of him. "You know of course, I'm going to have to punish someone thoroughly when I get back?"

Harry smiled briefly. "Yeah, I figured as much. So why the ruse? Why did he want me to kill you?"

"Oh he knew you wouldn't, just like I know as well."

"But how?"

"Because," she said shrugging. "You're Harry Potter."

He couldn't believe it. "You mean just because I am Harry Potter, you think I am incapable of killing?"

"Me? Yes, you are. A Death Eater? Oh I am sure you can."

"What makes you think I can't kill you?" He was eyeing her warily.

"Two things Mr. Potter, I am unarmed, and I am an innocent." She shrugged. "Got a nail file? I think I broke a nail."

Harry gaped at her audacity. "Nail file?"

"Yeah, flat metal thing rough on the side." Her expression was one of almost complete disinterest. Looking over the rest of her nails.

"I don't know." Harry looked at Ginny. "You have a nail file?" 

Ginny glared at Harry and snorted in disgust. "Do I _look_ like I have a nail file?"

He contemplated answering, but then thought better of it, fact is Ginny looked like a lot of things, but apparently the owner of a nail file wasn't one of them. "Well, apparently no." 

"Damn, well that's cool I can wait." 

"So you are an American as well I take it." Harry said trying not to sound completely stupid at this point. 

"Well, I am sure the accent was a dead giveaway, but what was your first clue?" her voice dripped with sarcasm. 

"Look, I just trying…" Harry started. 

"Look I don't give two squirts of cold rat piss what you want, really. I'm just killing," she glanced at the watch "seven minutes. If you don't mind, I'd rather do it in peace." 

She folded her legs under her and closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed and became rhythmic. 

Harry stood, and was unsurprised to hear the soft pop of her portkey activating. "Well, so what do we think of all this, then?"

The door swung open, Ron and Hermione came into a room full of animated discussion. 


	15. Chapter 14

**_Chapter 14_**

****

A week later found the ten of them on an isolated island in some remote area; Harry wasn't really even sure where they were finding the next group of students had been easy, almost far too easy for Harry's taste. But he was also getting nervous. It had been almost three weeks since the initial abductions, and he was afraid for the lives of the students still in captivity.

They had finally convinced a Slytherin girl to reveal something she overheard her father discussing, about a camp on this island. It had taken four forays into separate homes to discover the floo location they needed to get there. Now they were clustered at the top of a small earth mound overlooking the camp. 

Harry handed the omnioculars to Ron, "What do you make of it?" 

Ron studied the structure a moment longer. "Let's drop behind the hillock." They slid down into the lee of the hill. "Ok, here's what I see. There are seven, perhaps eight death eaters guarding the camp. Most seem more concerned with being gits than actually guarding anything. Only one or two are serious about what they are doing. Nightfall, and a couple judicious dampening potions and we'll be bringing another group home."

Harry nodded, according to his watch; it was four hours until sunset. "Hermione, I need a return portkey." He handed her a rock from the ground. "Use this."

He looked again at the sky; it was overcast, no moon, and no stars. It would be a smooth night. He once again glanced at his watch as if willing time to advance faster.

The wind picked up as the day progressed, and the chill in the air was unmistakable. Winter was indeed coming. At Hogwarts there was already snow on the ground, the work they had done so far, and the training they continued had left them little time for themselves. They instinctively broke into pairs, and each pair seemed preoccupied in making every minute together precious.

Harry felt awful, he had wanted this year to be different, as in normal, not different as in completely different as anything he had experienced so far, which seemed to be his form of normal. 

The kids rescued had been sent home, and Hogwarts was again standing empty save the ghosts and the house elves. A team of Aurors had come for a few days and swept the castle looking for portkeys or permanent portals, but nothing was found. The Companions were left to their own devices. 

The Companions had sent letters home indicating that they were working with the Ministry of Magic to help unravel this, everyone except Harry. He had sent his letter to the Weasleys. 

**_The Burrow – That same day_**

****

            At the same time Harry was contemplating this, Molly Weasley opened three letters, one from Ginny explaining what she already knew from what Dumbledore had told them, Ron saying more or less the same thing, and, oddly, one from Harry.

            She opened the letter, and gasped at the heading

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_            Because if the truth is told, you are the closest thing I have ever known. I remember a muggle once talking about family. He said that family loves you for you not who you are, or what you make of yourself. They give freely and unconditionally of their love to you._

_            I have been thinking a lot recently of the events leading up to today, and I am only sorry for one thing, that Ron and Ginny are part of this. Don't get me wrong, Ron is the best friend anyone can have, and I am very proud of him. He is the brother I should have had. Words cannot express Ginny. I love her more than I am sure someone my age should. Being around her I can feel my future, and see what is to become, and I know I am doing the right thing. You know I have asked Ginny to marry me, later, once this is over, we are out of school, and we can live a normal life. This is assuming, of course I can ever have a life considered 'normal'._

_            I wanted to ask you two in person, but there was never a time, or I was shamefully afraid, and certainly not up to my Gryffindor potential. Please accept my apologies, I had never intended not asking. We plan on returning home, yes **home** to the only home I have ever known once we have completed this task. Dumbledore explained to me that you were both Companions as well, so you understand we are compelled to complete this. _

_All the love, from your black-haired son,_

_Harry Potter_

            Molly had tears running down her face. Arthur was at work, but he could do with some distraction. She went to the fireplace "Arthur Weasley" and Arthur's head appeared.  She sat on the floor to be level with him, and showed him Harry's letter. 

            Arthur felt the same pride swell in his chest at Harry's letter as any of his real son's or daughter had done something that was particularly noteworthy. A funny lump was in his throat from the context of him and Ginny. "You don't suppose…" he said to Molly "That Harry and Ginny are…" he opted to leave the rest unsaid.

            Molly smiled lopsided at him. "Arthur, what do you think?"

            He grinned back, but then straightened seriously "Well, I remember when it was us dear, but that was, well different."

            "How so Arthur? It's the same. The only difference is the people involved." She looked lovingly at the face of her husband. "Find a way to come home early dear." She blew him a kiss and got up. 

            Arthur had to admit, even after all these years Molly was still the same woman he fell in love with so many years ago. Oh they had both changed, and grown older, but she was still everything he had ever wanted. He looked at his desk. It could all wait. 

            He grabbed his hat, and Disapparated.

**_The Island Encampment – Sunset_**

****

            On the island, as the sun slowly descended below the trees, Harry and Ginny were holding hands and talking in a whisper. They kissed softly, but there was passion there waiting to be unbridled.

            "It's time to go love." Harry said sadness etched in his features. "You mean the world to me Ginny, and I want to make you the happiest woman alive."

            "You have Harry," she paused looking at his hands holding hers "no matter what, I live each day because you saved my life. I don't owe you anything, don't misunderstand, and I live in the shelter of your love and caring. What more could someone ask for?"

            "A room?" Ron's voice came from over Harry's shoulder. "Come on you two, we have to move, or it'll be too dark and they'll turn on lights." His face was apologetic. 

            Harry looked into her eyes and smiled. Then she saw the hardness slide over his features like a mask. "Ok people, let's move, pair up and let's see about making some happy thoughts."

            **('Making happy thoughts' was actually Cho's line, and it became a catch phrase over the course of the next couple of years. Her wit and charm drew me to her, but to truly know Cho Chang, you had to see into the depths of her beautiful soul. I have, and I knew true love. – Justin)**

            They paired up almost unconsciously, and crept over the mound. The fence was little more than a wire mesh favored my muggles around their schools, but was almost five meters in height. They'd need to go through the gate. At the front gate stood a pair of guards. Harry pointed to them, and Ron crept up silent, Justin disappeared under Harry's invisibility cloak.  They watched as Ron approached from the direction of the sunset. Ron's guard was pointedly looking away from the over bright light, and didn't see him. Ron wrapped his forearm around them man's throat, and squeezed until he passed out. 

            Justin appeared behind the second guard performing the same technique just moments after Ron's arm had snaked around his victims' neck. 

            Harry leveled his wand and destroyed the gate. This action was noticed immediately, and the kids in the prison set themselves on the death eaters. The fight was over quickly; students with hope had helped to capture the remaining death eaters, and were obviously ready to return to Hogwarts and home. 

**_Hogwarts – An Hour Later_**

            Harry and Ron moved the death eaters into an old classroom turned into a holding cell. Outside a troll stood on guard. "If they so much as open the door, deal with them." Harry left the troll to figure out how to deal with them.

            "Gods Ron, I am exhausted." His friend nodded, and they said good night to one another, and went into their separate rooms. Harry fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

            They headed for their rooms, exhausted. The morning came sooner than they had wanted, and Harry found himself looking at the remains of the classroom door. "Dey open'd da door 'Arry Pot'er." The troll didn't look too apologetic. "Sos, I deal wit dem."

            Harry opted not to enter the room. He sighed and looked at the troll. "You did a fine job. Thank you." 

            The troll grunted and headed back to the others. 

            Harry returned to the common room. Ron looked up from the papers they had taken from the now ex-prisoners. "I take it troll justice took place last night?" His voice belayed no real surprise at this turn of events. He took a sip of tea waiting for Harry to answer.

            Harry looked tired, and perhaps a bit older to Ron and Hermione. "Yes. Now I need to clean up the mess." He turned to the others, "if anyone cares to help?"

            Ginny stood, as did Cho and Justin. "Let's get this over with then."

            They came to the classroom, and found the door completely gone. The bodies and destroyed furniture were already gone. "Harry Potter!" Came a squeaky voice. 

            Harry smiled, and his face softened, years were removed from his face. "Hello Dobby. You didn't have to clean this; we were just coming to take care of it."

            "It is our pleasure Harry Potter. We came to see to the needs of the bad wizards you put here, and then when we returns we finds them dead and the troll is leaving, so we figures on cleaning the mess." 

            Harry knelt down to Dobby's level. "You are a good house elf Dobby, and you have a heart of pure gold."

            Dobby's eyes filled with tears. "Harry Potter is far too kind to Dobby." He left the room sniffing and wiping his eyes.

            Harry shook his head and laughed. "No matter what age I live to, I will never understand them." 

            They returned to the common room, and Harry looked to the assembled Companions. "Cho, Justin, Ginny and I will make the rounds of the houses, and arrange the students for the return trip home. Ron, see if you and Hermione can figure out where the rest are, assuming the camps are the same size, perhaps two more camps is all." He tactfully left out the adults. They were going to be rescued as well, but for now it was the students Harry was most concerned with.

            Seven hours later, they had a list of those who were going to need medical attention after they were sent home, and the names of those who would never go home.

            The dead were up to eighty five. Still missing were over three hundred students. The paper that morning showed the phoenix over the remains of the camp. Harry had simply exploded when he saw the way the students had been treated. He stood in the middle of the camp, and his anger fueled a ripple of power, when he walked out of the twisted and smoldering remains of the camp, the phoenix was in the sky. 

That night he and Ginny were in bed, and the anguish overcame him. "God Ginny, what kind of leader breaks down every night like this?" he implored of her. "I don't know how I manage."

            She smiled and held him close. "It makes you different, Harry. Stronger." His eyes met hers. "You have to understand that what Voldemort is, is everything you are not. It makes you better Harry, not weaker." She was rewarded with a smile. "Now personally, I'd rather be lead by a hot seeker who needs to vent frustration and sadness than some slimy git of a death eater."

            Harry chuckled, kissed her deeply and fell asleep in her arms. She watched his descent into sleep, and followed him into the land of dreams where they were living in a small town in the mountains; no one seemed to know of them, only that they were from England, and had arrived with loads of friends. They lived in a small cluster of houses, and became pillars of the community, going to school plays and concerts that their children were in, and helped with the summer fair. The dream was so vivid that Ginny was saddened to tears to wake up in Hogwarts. 

            **(I have recently come to realize something. Either we forged this dream for ourselves and the Companions made the dream come true, or in that night ten people had the same dream, and it became our shield, our bastion of the future. We were invincible because we had this gilded dream of a future away from this nightmare. – Hermione)**


	16. Chapter 15

**_Chapter 15_**

            It was two days later that they got a lead. One of the papers was a note not yet sent to another holding area. This one was in Wales, and they had a name. Harry sent Hedwig to Arthur Weasley. 

_Dad, _

_            I know it's dangerous to ask for help like this. I wouldn't if it wasn't necessary, but I need a portkey for the Ministry of Magic office in Wales. _

_            Please do not allow any of your contemporaries to travel to that office in the next day._

_Harry_

_P.S. Ron, Ginny, and Hermione say hello._

            Hedwig returned rapidly. 

_Son,_

_            You have no idea what joy it brings write that down, knowing it's for you Harry. Molly and I are both very proud of you and your friends._

_            You left a map here over the summer, and I thought it best to return it to you with Hedwig. Owl Post is becoming unsafe Harry._

_            I do hope the map gets you where you need to go, and return you back here to us. We have placed special wards up here at the Burrow, and only portkeys will let you in. It's unsafe to walk up to the house now, and disapparating is straight out. We are also no longer on the floo network._

_Tell Ron and Ginny their mum and dad send their love, and that goes for you and Hermione as well. _

_            We expect to see you all soon._

_Dad_

            Harry read the letter and smiled. Arthur was certainly a crafty man. "Ok we have what we need. Let's pack up, we aren't returning for a few days." The nine Companions looked at him critically. "We have a dinner engagement," was all he would say on the matter.

            He pulled Ron, Ginny and Hermione aside and told them that Arthur and Molly sent their love, and that they were hoping to see them all soon. "They removed the Burrow from the floo network, and placed more wards up, it's dangerous to even walk up to the house now. The only way in safely is portkey."

            They prepared for the trip to the Ministry of Magic remote office in Wales. There they met three Aurors. "Harry Potter." The middle one spoke as they approached the doors.

            He nodded, and allowed a dampening potion to slide into the palm of his hand. "Yes."

            "Stand down. We are under orders from Minister Fudge that you ten are to be detained for questioning. 

            "I do not answer to the Minister of Magic." Harry simply stated. "I answer to Albus Dumbledore, and the Order of the Phoenix."

            The leader stood his ground. "I do not recognize that authority. If you do not stand down Mr. Potter there will be trouble."

            Harry sized the three up quickly, either they were sorely under appreciating what the Companions were capable of, or there were others around, hidden.

            "As I state your name, step forward and surrender your wand." He glanced at a paper note in his hand. 

            "Virginia Weasley" Ginny made no motion to surrender anything.

            "Ronald Weasley" Ron stood his ground, glaring at them.

            "Hermione Granger" She looked at him with an almost amused look.

            "You know, you can stop right now, and save yourself a lot of time." Harry finally interrupted the Auror. "We have no intention on surrendering or wavering from our task. Stand aside."

            The two leaders glared at one another, and Ginny slowly let out a breath she had not known she was holding until the desire to breathe burned in her lungs. Her attention focused on Harry and the leader of the Aurors. 

            "It does not have to end in violence Potter." The Auror said flatly, though Ginny was sure she heard a twinge of something… Regret? Fear perhaps?

            "I agree there is no need for violence between us Auror. I am here to liberate one hundred and sixty Hogwarts students from the death eaters who have captured them and wrongfully imprisoned them. I will not leave without them, and those who need to be punished."

            "There are no children here." The Auror answered, though Ginny was certain now she heard doubt in his tone.

            "Your information is wrong." Ron spoke up for the first time. "I have documents here to prove it." He brandished the documents like they were the Holy Grail.

            The Auror held out his hand. "Let me see them." He spent a few minutes scanning over not only he documents, but also Ron's notes. He returned the documents to Ron, his shoulders sagged. "Your documentation is complete Mr. Weasley. Though I am hardly surprised, you are certainly Arthur's son. Please follow me."

            They walked to a small building just to the side of the ministry office building, and were lead into a small conference room. Two dozen Aurors were already assembled. "It would seem," the leader of the Aurors stated to the assembled men and women, "that we have been duped, and have been protecting a death eater."

            The uproar was almost deafening. A voice carried above the din. "What in the hell are you talking about McGivins?" 

            McGivins, the Auror who had confronted them earlier glared out at his contemporaries. "Shut your hole Vonn. Potter brought documents that clearly show what's going on." 

            The noise died down to a few errant whispers. Harry motioned for Ron to follow him. "Ron, please explain the findings from the last three sites."

            Ron cleared his throat nervously, and glanced at Hermione who smiled encouragingly. "We discovered these letters," he indicated a small stack of parchments he withdrew from his pack, "in the initial camp where the first group of death eaters had taken the prisoners." He passed them to McGivins. "They are written orders from Voldemort to the death eaters detailing where the students would be delivered, but not the means by which they abducted nearly a thousand students and almost one hundred faculty and staff."

            McGivins looked suitably impressed. "Go on Mr. Weasley."

            "Yes, well, in the second holding facility," Harry noted he deigned not to name Malfoy Manor, "we found these documents in a – a difficult to describe place." The documents had been on death eaters who were being serviced by the female students. "They, ahhh, they were not able to explain the situation to us any further as all were casualties." Ron's face was a mask of calm, but Harry saw the red rising in his neck.

            The documents were passed to McGivins who began comparing and contrasting the documents. "Please continue Weasley."

            Ron's eyebrow raised a bit at the casual comment from McGivins. "The third set was found in a prison camp along with a set of orders _to_ a ministry official here." The third, much larger set of parchment was delivered to McGivins. This included the map they had managed to find of the interior of the Ministry offices. 

            McGivins was suitably impressed with the detail and the work done on preparing them to fight their way into the Ministry offices. He suddenly blanched holding a parchment in his hands. Harry recognized it instantly. It was Ron's assessment of the strength of the Auror force. 

"I'm sorry," Ron flushed in embarrassment, "I didn't mean for you to see that." He reached for the document, but McGivins held on to it. 

"Is this really what you think?" His eyes narrowed at Ron and Harry.

"Yes Auror McGivins. That is my assessment of your forces here."

"How long did you monitor us before you came to this decision?"

"Twenty four hours. Some is conjecture, but that is explained on the other side." 

McGivins flipped the parchment over. "You learned _this_ in twenty four hours?"

Harry folded his arms over his chest. "The way I see it McGivins is either you stand down and let us do our job, attempt to fight us and we will still do our job, or assist us in doing our job. It's your choice. Either way you chose, we _will_ leave with the prisoners today. I have suffered their captivity far too long as is I'll not wait any more." He turned to Ron. "Briefing is over Ron, collect your work." He turned to the rest of the Companions. "We leave in ten minutes."

McGivins looked at Harry mouth open at the sheer audacity. "I need some time to think this through."

"Think all you want, just stay here, and out of our way." He turned to Hermione and nodded gravely to her. "I'm sorry it's come to this."

Hermione threw the small vial into the air, shattering it against the ceiling. A small cloud of a finish silvery dust filtered down on the Aurors. Harry threw his dampening potion on McGivins who was already going for his wand.

McGivins lunged for Harry realizing the problem right away. "You dampened me!" He howled as he swung wildly at Harry. 

"I'm sorry McGivins, I can't have you interfering. His foot struck out, and Harry heard the wet popping noise of a dislocated knee. McGivins fell heavily to the floor. "Ginny, Cho, set that, but don't heal him."

The rest of the Aurors stood frozen in place. Harry addressed them then, "the dust will wear off in an hour's time. We will be gone by then, with the captives. If any of you attempt to follow us to Hogwarts it _will_ be seen as a hostile action by the Order of the Phoenix."

They filed out of the room. "Normal precautions ladies and gents. Grab robes from the closet, if they think we are Aurors, perhaps we can get fairly deep without fighting."

"Harry, best guess is that we will encounter problems before we reach the holding cells." Ron was again studying his map. He took another trip along the plotted path, and folded the map, placing it in his pocket.

"No prisoners, just information and students, understand?" They all murmured their assent. "Good, let's go."

Harry opened the door wearing the robes of an Auror over his Order robes. They entered the building and moved with practiced ease through the ministry officials who were ignoring the Aurors as they normally do.

They were stopped by three men wearing Auror robes. "Stand down, and present your hands." 

Harry and his group aquised, and raised their hands palm out. "We were sent to check on a prisoner." Harry explained drolly, "McGivins said to bring in the crazy from last week; he wants to question him again."

Harry stood there as the three regarded them his body tensing to spring. These guys were no more Aurors then he was. 

"Why weren't we told anything?"

Harry smiled to himself. "Perhaps you assume too much," the look of uncomfortable embarrassment was apparent on their faces, "for example, that you have a need to know _anything_." 

This served to anger the men. "I don't know who you are, and until I hear from someone more senior, I'm not going to let you near the prisoners."

Harry focused on his anger; drawing from the well of power "**_You will open the door, and stand aside._**" The three stood aside and allowed Harry and his team to pass. He turned back to them, "**_We were never here._**"

Their eyes glazed a moment, and then returned to normal. "So, Rodger, you see the Quidditch scores from last night…" They had resumed normal conversation.

Hermione and Ginny rushed to Harry's side as his knees buckled. Ron softly shut the door. It took Harry a full minute before he could stand albeit wobbly on his own. "Harry, are you trying to kill yourself mate?" Ron asked worry etched in his eyes and face.

"No Ron, but I didn't want to fight them. We are here for a purpose, they are not Aurors, but I don't think they know what's going on down here." Harry stretched muscles and squared his shoulders. "Let's finish this."

They moved into the holding area, Ron stunned the only guard. A quick search of him revealed keys to the cell blocks. Harry frowned as they moved to the first cell. 

Ron was about to fit the key. "Stop Ron." 

Harry moved to the cell door, and placed his hands on it. He seemed to be concentrating on something. "This feels wrong somehow."

Harry had felt this before when they were trapped in Malfoy Manor, like someone was watching, waiting to spring a trap. In Malfoy Manor, it had been unfounded, but this time the feeling was intense. "Gather around." Harry grabbed Ron's wrist, and set the watch to take them back to Hogwarts. They felt a pull like they were moving through rapidly congealing gelatin. Then they were free and tumbling onto the ground in the Great Hall. 

"What, Harry, in the name of all that's holy, what in the hell did you do that for?" Ron sputtered.

Hermione was still thinking on the reaction of the portkey. "I think Harry just saved our lives Ron."

Ron's eyes widened. "You mean that sickly slow start to the portkey?"

Hermione nodded. "The wards were being brought up slowly so as not to warn us." She turned to Harry then, "how did you know, and more importantly how long did you know about the wards?"

Harry held out his hands awkwardly. "I just _felt_ them, like we were in a bag and someone was slowly closing the mouth." He couldn't explain it any better. "I knew as soon as Ron was about to turn the lock, something was wrong."

"You may have sealed their deaths Harry." Ron blurted out. 

Ginny took two steps forward and belted Ron square in the jaw sending him over the Slytherin table. 

Ron stood up his hand clutching his injured jaw. "What the hell was _that_ for?"

Hermione glared at Ron openly. "You ignorant, moronic, insensitive, aggravating ass!" Ron's injuries were forgotten with Hermione's outburst, "I cannot possibly see what in the nine hells you were thinking when you opened your idiotic mouth Ronald Weasley!" Her face was turning red, either from the screaming or the anger; no one was quite sure which. "**_Harry does not need you being a selfish, insensitive fuck right now!_**"

The wave of anger crested and Hermione stumbled, and then fell into Susan's arms. 

Justin spoke up. "Well, that's three for ten, anyone want to bet on whose next?" Followed by an "ooof" as Cho's elbow found a home in his ribs.

They made their way in uncomfortable silence to their common room. Hermione was laid on the couch, and a quick conversation with Dobby secured the food and drink Hermione would need. 

Harry placed a hand on Ron's shoulder. "She'll be fine Ron," he smiled lopsidedly at his friend, "but I'd not get her brassed at you – just in case." 

Ron couldn't help but grin back. "Look Harry, I'm sorry mate, I was just still keyed up and I had to vent somehow." 

Harry's smile at his friend deepened. "I understand Ron, don't worry, I know what you feel like." He left Ron's side, and saw Ginny. A smile touched the corners of his mouth. She grabbed his hand and they left for their room. 

Harry noted with some small amount of pleasure that at some point in the last few weeks, the house elves had seen fit to change the name plates. The couple slipped inside the room, the shiny brass tags reading "Harry Potter" and below it "Virginia Weasley". 

They emerged into the common room a few minutes later, into a fit of chaos. People were screaming, and both Cho, and Hermione were unconscious now, though Hermione had apparently woken from the earlier experience, and was now was unconscious again. No doubt from the second use.

Harry sighed and smiled weakly at Ginny. "So when are you going to flip out on me?"

Ginny smacked his arm playfully, "you will regret that comment Potter." She was smiling warmly at him. "Should we break this up, or order a feast?"

"No, let them get it out of their system first. It'll be easier when they are all on the floor." 

They moved to a pair of chairs, and Ginny brought out a set of exploding snap cards. "Fancy a game?"

Harry grinned, "Of course." She dealt the cards out, and they started building. By the time the last of the shouting (and **_shouting_**) was over, the cards were smoking dangerously, and Harry was glancing furtively around looking for a spot to place his card.

Harry looked up to see Justin slumping wearily over to them; Harry's hand was poised above the structure with smoldering card in hand. "I'd not hold the card so close Harry…" Too late, the entire thing went up earning Harry a singed fingertip.

Justin laughed at the two of them, the irony of the game being played out in the corner while the rest of them shouted and yelled suddenly struck him as the funniest thing he'd heard in a long time. Harry and Ginny joined in shortly, the three laughing until tears rolled from their eyes, and hands clutched at stitches.

"Oh god, that felt good." Justin remarked after the laughter finally died out. "I've not laughed like that in a while. He glanced over at the unconscious forms on the floor. "Suppose we should put them someplace more comfortable then." The three of them moved their friends closer to the fire, and Harry contacted Dobby, asking him to send a feast to their room. Dobby was, of course, all too happy to comply.

"So, all that's left is for you and Ginny to go off then." Harry said somberly once the food arrived. 

Ginny slapped Harry on the arm. "Stop it, you prat." Harry noted the smile was not there this time, and he got an idea. 

"Stop what? You act like the world needs to bend over and kiss your ass because you are sleeping with me?" Harry mentally prepared himself for the inevitable. 

Ginny's jaw dropped, and the red flush came immediately as her eyes narrowed. "What did you just say Potter?" her voice was almost calm, but Harry could hear the dangerous undertone.

He prayed this would work. "You heard me, I may be a bit thick, but you finally got what you were after, you are shagging the Boy Who Lived, right?"

"**_Fuck you Potter._**" Ginny projected every ounce of hate she had into that phrase, she then wobbled slightly and sat down hard on the rug. She shook her head to clear the intense exhaustion, and a hunger unlike any she ever felt struck her, and she grabbed food and started eating. She was still brassed at Harry, but was too busy eating to deal with that right now.

Harry watched her dumbstruck. Why was she still awake?

            After consuming an unbelievable amount of food, Ginny wanted to sleep more than anything, but then remembered Harry's cruel words. She turned on him, but there was no more anger to fuel her. "Why Harry?" was all that came out. 

            He looked at her for the first time since she had used the power. She still saw tears in his eyes and it struck her. He had done this to empower her, not to hurt her. She smiled. "Never mind, I understand." She cut off whatever he had intended on saying. "You are a sweet man Harry Potter, and I don't know what I did to deserve you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and found that love was filling the void left by the anger. 

            Justin cleared his throat. "Get a room." He snickered and went to look over Cho some more. 

            "Wow Gin, I had intended on you passing out, not staying awake. No one's done that yet." Harry still seemed uneasy about this. "I can't help but wonder why."

            "Because, you git, I love you, and my love is far stronger than hate." She leaned into his arms. "So you wanted me to pass out? What ever for Mr. Potter? To take advantage of me?"

            Harry uttered a small bark of a laugh. "Not bloody likely." Ginny glared at him. "I – I mean it's not like I'd have to get you _unconscious_ he clarified. That's all."

            Ginny laughed. "You, Harry are a loveable prat, you know that?"

            He smiled goofily at her and nodded. "Only around you."

            Slowly the common room showed signs of people waking from the induced unconsciousness. Harry had been mulling over something, and finally gave voice to the assembled Companions as they ate. "What is this, this _thing_ that happens, and why to all of us?"

            Hermione looked thoughtfully, or at least as thoughtful as one can while eating like someone denied food for days. She almost answered, but instead bit down on a chicken leg, while holding up her index finger, as if willing the hunger to take second place to knowledge. Knowledge was, however losing.

            "It's ok Hermione, I figured you could all think about it while you ate, and perhaps we can figure out not only what it is, but if there's more to it…"

            Hermione's head was bobbing frantically as she pointed to Harry, and then to her nose. Harry's look of almost pure astonishment was echoed by Ginny. "There's more to this?" More head bobbing. "How much do you know?" 

            Hermione opened her mouth, and "Little." Was all she got out, Harry knew the feeling well, that she had said that much was amazing to him, he remembered each time vividly, the use of, whatever it was, apparently caused you to require huge amounts of food in take following it, and nothing you could do would alter that. Even now, that he could almost will it into being, he felt incredibly hungry, but it wasn't the all consuming hunger of the first time. He just wished they had had more time to train, learn things, and develop this slower. As is, he was afraid the consequences of one of his team mates passing out while outside of Hogwarts. Steps would need to be taken, and taken soon.

            After they had eaten their fill, the team members left the table, and sat by the fire, the food, and cheery fire lent to freer discussions Harry had noted than the table, where he felt obligated to lead the discussion. Now settled comfortably on a couch, with Ginny leaning against his chest, the discussion began on its own.

            "It's known as the Phoenixutum." Hermione stated as if saying that the fire was hot.

            "Care to elaborate for those of us _not_ versed in dead languages?" Ron was always good at getting Hermione to explain things, Harry thought. 

            Cho looked scathingly at Ron, "What she's saying is that it's er," her eyes unfocused as she was mentally reviewing something, "it means something like Orator of the Phoenix, or Sharp Wit of the Phoenix." Her glance to Hermione held an unasked 'Right?'

            Hermione nodded happily, "yes, precisely! The actual meaning is Orator of the Phoenix. It's a horribly misleading name, as there is much more to the power than the voice part, that's just the first stage."

            Harry unconsciously tightened his hold on Ginny. "Go on, what else?"

            "Well – depending on the amount of raw magic potential it could stop there, or continue to grow. The next step is the ability to, well, it's not documented very well, but it seems to be some form of protection, or shield. I'm not sure which, after that; there are vague references that are probably only half-truths anyhow." Her brow was knitted in concentration, as if in deep concentration. "They all do focus around one common theme though, as the user of Phoenixutum uses more and more of the power, they become more and more peaceful, I'd almost say passive, but when they use the power, they are almost blind with rage and literally stream power from them. At the most advanced stages, there is written text saying that witnesses actually _saw_ the flow of magic around the wizard saying it looked like a golden fog, swirling, and eddying, but never dissipating until the wizard passed out."

            She took a sighing breath, "but that's all conjecture. It's not documented in any form that would be considered anything more than dubious at best."

            Harry thought a moment before he spoke, "Was there ever indications of more than one person having this, this…"

            "Phoenixutum, Harry. It's Latin, Phoenix with the suffix -utum meaning: of minds, as in sharp, keen, intelligent or of effective orators." Cho looked happy to be so useful in one of the meetings that she always felt left out of.

(Just a note here, as I look through the text it almost appears as if Ron, Ginny, Hermione and myself were the only ones who talked or for that matter did anything. It's simply not true. The book is written mainly from the perspective of Ginny and myself, and at times the others interjected how they felt, or what they were thinking. We used these passages for everyone who wanted to, or could, contribute. – Harry)

            "So is this something we should be doing to promote this? I don't want us somewhere and have you all dropping around me like sacks of cement." 

            "Well," Justin spoke up "I'd wager we need to figure out the anger angle. It seems that each time the, er, Phoenixutum, it's been in times of stress or anger. So it would stand to reason that we would need to somehow control our anger, and 'store' it, for lack of a better word, allowing us to bottle it up and release it when we want to, not when it decides to explode out of us."

            Hermione glanced at Justin. "You haven't felt it yet, have you?" her gaze traveled to Ginny. "How about you?"

            Justin snorted. "Oh, she experienced it alright." 

            Ginny blushed slightly, "I didn't pass out is all." 

            Hermione's brow knitted again in concentration. She was balanced on the arm of Ron's chair, one arm around his shoulder, she made a move to get up, and Ron held her back. "Not now, now is the time for talk not reading," he whispered in her ear. She settled back.

            The discussion continued on, and the consensus was that it was a powerful tool that they should develop. Harry began to mentally plan their training, but how to anger people on cue? The night wore on, and they went to bed Harry still mulling the thought when Ginny slid into bed beside him. In short order, Harry's thoughts were all on the red head beside him, and anger was the furthest thing from his mind.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

            They awoke the next morning to something of a surprise. The bed around them was surrounded in a thick, crystal structure. Harry reached out hesitantly and tapped the smooth, glassy surface. It was certainly sold, and while the wall was green, it was nearly transparent, appearing as more of a green-tinted glass, but with smooth facets everywhere. 

            Harry's first thought was that this was some form trap, his clothes and wand were on the floor by the bed, on the other side of the wall. Ginny was wrapped up in the blanket, while Harry had a sheet around his waist when Ron opened the door. It was then that Harry noticed the second think about the structure. Sound didn't penetrate it. 

            "Cover your ears Gin," he said looking at her apologetically "I need to make some noise to convince Ron I can't hear him."

            Ginny grabbed pillows and pushed them on each side of her head. Harry concentrated on the anger, nursed it, fueled it, and finally projected his voice "**_I can't hear you, you prat!_**"

            Ginny saw him sway, and reached for him. He fell back, looking drained. Ron looked thoughtful, and then began rooting around; he pulled up a quill, ink bottle and parchment, and wrote something.

            _You can't hear me, can you?_

The parchment was held up by Ron. Harry shook is head exaggeratedly. More writing from Ron:

            _Do you know how this happened?_

            Again Harry shook his head no. Ron looked thoughtful, and wrote more.

            _I'll get Hermione._

            Harry nodded. Ron grinned, jotted something down and slapped the parchment on the crystal wall. 

            _Don't do anything I wouldn't do._

            "Well, at least he seems to be taking this all in stride." Ginny snorted. "He isn't stuck in bed with…" She blushed "I – erm – I mean, I – well, I have to use the loo."

            Harry groaned he had been trying _not_ to think about that himself. A minute later a rather hastily dressed Hermione appeared looking at the wall in awe. Harry and Ginny were beginning to look a but panicked, when she drew her wand waved it at the wall and tried several spells, all of which failed to even make a minor effect on it. She paced a bit, chewed her lip a bit, and finally gathered up quill and parchment. 

            _I need to go to the library._

            Harry looked around and finally had to make the discomfort obvious to Hermione. She looked at him attempting to pantomime needing to use the loo, and finally she blushed and nodded.

            A few minutes after she left, Dobby appeared inside the wall with a small metal pot. "I's is finding you a chamber pot Harry Potter and Miz Weesy!" They looked at Dobby dubiously, but they nodded slowly. "I's be back to collect in an hour."

            Harry looked at Ginny and handed her the pot and turned his back. The look of relief on her face was plain. A while later after the two of them dispensed with the initial issue of the morning, Dobby returned with breakfast and removed the pot. As they lay in bed eating Harry leaned over and kissed Ginny's forehead. 

            "Well, it's not how I imagined spending all day in bed with you, but it'll work." She cuffed him playfully on the arm. 

            With the sheet wrapped about her she began examining the green crystal. "I don't think this is a trap Harry, I think one of us created it." She moved from one angle to the next, as if looking for something in the surface of the crystal.

            Shortly, they heard something thumping below the bed. Harry and Ginny lifted the mattress and looked into Dobby's face. "We is making a tunnel Harry Potter. We is getting you and your Weezy out Harry Potter." With that he disappeared down the small hole. 

            Hermione showed up a few minutes later, books, parchment and a quill behind her ear. She set the work down and started scribbling on a parchment.

            _Dobby and the house elves are digging a tunnel to get you out. They should also have clothes for you two. We'll figure it all out when you are outside the crystal. _

            Harry looked again dubiously at the crystal dividing them from the rest of the room. Hermione scribbled another note.

            _The crystal is fused with the floor and ceiling. I don't know how long the air would be breathable. _

            Harry had in fact been thinking that very thing. The beds were spacious, but finite, and he was relieved when Dobby had opened a small tunnel allowing fresh air into the bed. Within an hour they were sitting in the common room again.

            "So you woke up surrounded by the structure then?" Hermione asked for the fifth time. 

            "Yes, why do you keep asking that?" Ginny was getting irritated at the question.

            Hermione opened a book and flipped to a marked page. 

            _At the height of the rush of the giants, Godric Gryffindor fashioned a shield of impenetrable crystal to defend himself and his charges from their onslaught. The Crystal barrier held for a fortnight until dismissed by Godric, and then the Companions fled to rejoin their compatriots. _

            "Not only does it identify, appropriately mind you, the shield. It also calls the people following Godric Gryffindor 'Companions', just like us." Hermione looked at the faces staring at her. "Oh, don't you see? Harry is our leader, just like Godric Gryffindor was leader of the original Companions. He created that shell."

            Harry had a nagging worry; Ginny had been in there too. When the Phoenixutum blossomed in her, _she_ hadn't passed out. Was it possible they were following the wrong person?

            "Does it say what color the crystal was Hermione?" The one in there is greenish his hand waived towards the bedrooms. 

            Hermione spent a few minutes leafing through pages. "Sort of, it makes reference to the 'Sapphire Shield'; I'm assuming it's the same barrier, so I'd say blue."

            Harry thought a moment, and got up. "Ron and Justin come with me, the rest stay here." He hugged Ginny. "We'll be right back, I need to check on something first," he whispered in her ear.

            They trotted through the halls to Gryffindor Tower. At the portrait of the Pink Lady, Harry stopped. "Are there any portraits of Godric Gryffindor?"

            The pink lady thought a while and said, "I believe there is one in the Headmaster's library, though I'm not sure."

            They took off at a run, Ron and Justin shrugging to each other as they followed Harry. Once in the Headmaster's office, Harry looked at the paintings. "Which one of you is Godric Gryffindor?"

            The headmasters looked around and one seemed to sit up straighter. "I am."

            Harry peered at the painting the colors were faded, but he could just make out the color of his eyes. They were a deep, dark blue. He let out the breath he'd been holding. 

            Ron gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Harry, what's going on?"

            "Gryffindors eyes are blue, so I'm guessing it was me, not Ginny that made the shield."

            Ron's eyes showed the dawning understanding. They headed back to the common room, relieved and in lighter spirits. 

            Hermione was looking at them with barely checked ire. "His eyes were blue you prat, had you _bothered_ to stay around _I_ could have told you that much."

            Harry stood there startled and speechless, his mouth working slowly, but no words were forming.

            "Well, you know Harry," Ron stated simply shrugging, "he insists on doing everything the hard way."

            Harry closed his mouth and glared at Ron. Ron stared at him impassively. "I do not always do things the hard way."

            "You do so," Came Ginny's voice.

            "This is a mutiny I tell you." Harry was having some difficulty suppressing the grin. In actuality he had not thought Hermione would have had the foresight to find out something as detailed as the color of Gryffindor's eyes.

            He moved over next to Ginny and Hermione. They were looking over a rather well appointed man that seemed to be in his late thirties or early forties. Under the image was the text: _Godric Gryffindor, first headmaster of Hogwarts, and one of the original founders of the school. _

            Harry flipped the text over _Hogwarts, a History_. Harry groaned audibly, and Hermione blushed. "Oh stop it Harry."

            "Ok, so I made it, now, how do I make it go away? I'd rather not be tunneling my way out of my bed in the morning." 

Hermione shrugged, "honestly Harry, I have no idea. This is all _very_ advanced and it's so poorly documented."

"Right then, so let's try something else, what triggered it, I was certainly not angry last night, or in any danger." Ginny's face colored as she attempted to catch his eye. "Yes Ginny?"

"Erm, can I have a word Harry?" 

They walked to a corner and had a whispered conversation peaking the interest of all the people in the room. Now and then they could make out a word or two, like "NO!" and "NOT IN THIS LIFETIME!" finally after several minutes; they returned both now glowing red from embarrassment. Harry pointedly refused to talk to anyone, and Ginny leaned forward and whispered softly in Hermione's ear. Hermione's eyes widened, and her hand quickly covered her mouth. "You don't suppose…"

Ginny shot her a dirty look, and Hermione's hand re-covered her mouth. "Not one word." Hermione nodded.

Cho glanced at Justin and whispered to him "We have _got_ to find out." Justin simply nodded.

Harry regained his composure, and after clearing his throat re-addressed them all, "well, erm, yes – I believe we may have to er – test this theory out a bit…" he lurched forward, Ginny glaring at him had just smacked him on the back of his head. "Not right _now_!" he exclaimed "I – I meant, that…" his face burned hotly suddenly. "Never mind…" He stalked off to a chair and sat down pretending to be suddenly engrossed in a book.

"Oi! Harry, it's upside down." Susan said smirking.

Harry obligingly turned the book upside down, and went back to glaring at it. It took him a few minutes to realize he had been holding the book properly the entire time. He closed the book with a snap, dropped it on the table and buried his face in his hands. "Don't you have anything better to do than harass me?" he moaned through his hands.

"Not at the moment." Hanna had moved to the couch. "So, Harry – what **did** you do to cause the shell to materialize?" They all had to admit, Hanna was the last of the Companions most eligible to make Harry speechless. She had been shy and unassuming, however lately, she had become more forceful. The new powers building in each of them seemed to enhance flagging areas in each of them, in Hanna it meant more composure, and less going along with everything. It's not like she had suddenly become confrontational, rather like suddenly she was herself, comfortable with the others to the point of speaking her mind. 

**(An interjection here, if I may. I have read the manuscript several times in the last few months, as we heal both physical and mental wounds. The physical scars are much less – deep than the emotional ones. But there they are, visible for all to see. That aside, while it was great fun teasing Ginny and Harry about this secret they had, we all had a fairly good idea, and certainly they weren't the first to try this experiment, nor were they only ones doing it. – Susan)**

"Yeah, well anyway Harry," Ginny said, desperate to turn the course of the conversation, "we have other tasks that need our attention."

Harry looked at the list on the table. They had been marking off who had been recovered, and who's bodies were returned to their parents as well as the ones still listed as missing. He sighed and looked at the list. It still seemed enormous. 

"Ron, did we find _anything_ out from the documents we, erm, borrowed from the Aurors?" Harry hadn't seen Ron palm the documents, but when they returned Ron had seemed unsurprised to find several official Ministry documents in the mix of his papers.

"Yes, and no." Ron looked at him sheepishly. 

"I'm sorry Ron, but could you repeat that?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, well – It's like this _Harry_, the documents certainly are there, and there is a bit more information than we had, but honestly it was simply confirmation of what we had already guessed. The Aurors know less then we do." He glared at Hermione for a second before continuing, "Basically, they know something is going on, and I'm betting they have a damn good idea who's behind it. However, there is nothing new in the reports I, er, borrowed to indicate that they have any more information than we do."

"So they weren't part of this whole thing then?" Harry asked, extracting a fresh piece of parchment from a small stack. 

"No, they either aren't part of it, or are frighteningly clever." Ron watched Harry root about for a quill and ink.

"Thanks Ron, Hermione have you figured anything out from that trap? I don't want them perfecting that one on us." He had found a bottle half-full and a not completely dull quill.

"Not yet Harry, it's an odd spell, and seems to have been triggered by our presence. So the two outside the door weren't the ones to cast it, or even trigger it." She watched as Harry began a letter, and then looked away. Privacy was paramount between them, and letter writing was sacred.

"So you think perhaps using the voice might have set it off?" He was writing smoothly, making sure of his words before he wrote them.

Hermione's eyebrows shot up, "yes, of course!" She hurried off to a stack of books, and paged through them.

"Justin and Cho, could you run up to the owlry for me, and bring back five owls please?" He had set one piece of parchment aside and was working on the second one.

"Ron, I need a best guess from you. Do you think we could break into the Ministry offices and have a look-see?" Harry was still engrossed in his letter writing as he discussed this.

"Well – if we had some inside help, yes I believe we could." He moved over to the planning table and started drafting a letter to his dad.

"Good, and tell your mum and dad we'll be staying a few days. All of us." Harry finished up that letter and started his third. "Everyone else pack for a week."

The remaining people moved to their rooms and started packing rucksacks for a week on the move. Ginny was selecting potions and balms for her healer's satchel, and had clothing lain out on their bed for herself and Harry. He came into the room holding four envelopes, each with a different name on them.

Harry looked wistfully at the bed. "I guess I'll probably be staying in Ron's room." 

"I expect so too Harry. But it's only for a while, and I am _sure_ we can find some time alone." She winked at him and smiled wickedly.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. They silently packed their belongings and hefting the rucksacks they headed out the door. 

In the common room everyone was ready except Cho and Justin. Harry tied the four letters to the first four owls and sent them away; Ron used the fifth owl to send the letter to his parents. 

Their gear was piled up in neat rows by the door when Dobby showed up "Harry Potter, there is being an Auror to see you sir!"

"I was sure this was coming." Harry looked at Dobby. "We'll need another place setting for today only Dobby, and then we'll be departing for a week, understand?"

"Yes Harry Potter. Dobby understands." The house elf vanished with a pop. 

Harry moved to the door, and caught the attention of a troll. "I have an Auror coming from the entrance. He's expected." The troll nodded and moved back to his post. 

Harry marveled over the trolls they really were nothing at all like the mountain troll he remembered from his first year. Not dumb at all, but wickedly sly, and when employed as guards were fearless and faithful. Dumbledore had chosen them well.

He returned to the table to see an eleventh chair and place setting already there. The food was just appearing as well, and Harry took a long drink of pumpkin juice, and had just taken a bite of mashed potatoes when the knock came. 

He opened the door to see the troll standing between him and Auror McGivins. "It's ok, let him in." 

McGivins entered the common room and at once his eyes were in motion absorbing everything he could in a quick survey. Harry directed him to the table. "Are you hungry Auror McGivins?"

Fact is he was, and he remembered the cooking from Hogwarts with fondness and sat at the proffered place, opposite Harry.

"You don't seem at all phased that I'm here." He scooped out some potatoes and stuffing to go with his chicken.

"I'm not, and frankly I had expected you sooner." Ron stated between bites of roast beef. "I figured you'd be here the same day personally." Ron reached into his pocket withdrew a sickle and tossed it to Harry. 

McGivin's eyes widened. "You bet it'd take me a day?"

Harry nodded and drank deeply from his goblet. "Yes, I did. However, I was half hoping Ron would be right. Now, please make your point as we have something to do."

"Like what Harry?" McGivins asked nodding at the assembled gear.

"Class field trip." Harry shot back, "and none of your business where Auror." The finality behind the statement was obvious.

"You are not agents of the Ministry, Harry. You can't do as you please."

"Right on one, dead wrong on the other. We are not agents of the Ministry of _Magic_ we are agents of the Ministry of _Mystery_." Harry emphasized the points with uncharacteristic hardness to his voice. "Regardless, we _can_ and we _will_ do exactly as we please."

"By whose authority?" McGivins asked, his voice cold.

"By order of Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts and the Leader of the Order of the Phoenix." Harry had been told by Dumbledore that that was his authority if he was ever asked. 

McGivins hesitated "Dumbledore is still prisoner." 

Harry glared at him. "I have his trust. I operate as Dumbledore would have wanted. When he and the rest of the students are freed, _then_ you can ask him if I was operating under his orders."

"This is not over Potter." McGivins finished his meal, and stood.

"No McGivins, it's not. Though I had honestly hoped we'd be working together." A hint of sadness and regret tinged his words. 

McGivins paused at the door. "Me too Harry. I had truly hoped to work with you on this."

"It's not too late McGivins," Harry noted, "There is still time to join us."

For a moment the Auror stood there with his hand on the doorknob. "I can't Harry. I am responsible to Minister Fudge."

Harry stood a moment and considered McGivins. "What if I told you Fudge is, and has been dead since just after the abductions?"

McGivins turned on Harry, his eyes wide. "You mean?"

"Fudge was here the morning after the abductions, and died in the Great Hall. He was sent to deliver a message, and believe me, it was delivered." Harry's voice had that edge Ginny recognized when he needed to just do and not feel. "He's on ice in one of the classrooms on this floor." Harry walked to the door, the rest of the Companions followed.

They walked to the classroom where they had sealed the body of Fudge. Hermione opened the door; there on a small pedestal that Harry had transfigured lay the still frozen body of Cornelius Fudge. McGivins stared at Fudge and took out a small mirror, and passed it over the face of Fudge. He then looked into the mirror and spoke some words under his breath. 

"Alright Harry, I'm convinced. I have some things that need attending to, when is your, ah, 'class trip' going to be over?"

"Two weeks." Harry lied, but his face showed no hint of the falsehood.

"Right then, two weeks." McGivins turned and left heading for the entrance hall. 

Harry looked at Susan and Lisa.  "Get my cloak, and follow him until he is off the grounds. We leave when you return."

They headed for the Common Room, grabbed the invisibility cloak and silently fled to the entrance, catching up to McGivins as he was just leaving. They shadowed him all the way to the gates, where he stepped out and Disapparated. They removed the cloak, and ran back to the castle.

Once inside they gave Harry the details of the rather uneventful trip. They had all learned that even the most trivial of things sometimes can have catastrophic repercussions. Harry merely nodded, and when they were ready he unfolded the portkey map sent to him by Arthur Weasley. He taped it and said "There's no place like home." Mentally he snickered; Mr. Weasley was something else alright. The familiar tug and they were standing in the Weasley living room.

The kitchen door opened and Mrs. Weasley looked at the small troop in her living room, smiled broadly and had hugs for everyone. "Come in there's plenty of room at the kitchen table." Sandwiches were piled on three plates and plenty of juice for all. 

They chatted a bit, and spent the next few hours just enjoying being someplace other than Hogwarts. 

All too soon Arthur Weasley returned home. With him was a man Harry had never seen. "It's good to see all of you!" He hugged and kissed Ginny, and hugged Ron. Then he turned to Harry, and for the first time ever Harry felt the embrace of a father. "Welcome home son." Mr. Weasley whispered in his ear. "We are all so proud of you."

Harry fought back the tears, but the smile he had on his face didn't fade for quite some time.

Arthur introduced the man with him as Deedolus Diggums. The name struck Harry, and suddenly the face focused, and he remembered him from the first time he had been in the Leaky Cauldron with Hagrid. '_Was it really a lifetime ago like it felt, or only five years, it just didn't seem like that much time for all these changes.'_

_Harry wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Harry had the most peculiar feeling that only he and Hagrid could see it. Before he could mention this, Hagrid had steered him inside._

_For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"_

_"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder and making Harry's knees buckle._

_"Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at Harry, "is this -- can this be --?"_

_The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent. "Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Harry Potter... what an honor."_

_He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Harry and seized his hand, tears in his eyes._

_"Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back."_

_Harry didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at him. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. _

_Hagrid was beaming._

_Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Harry found himself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron._

_"Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."_

_"So proud, Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud."_

_"Always wanted to shake your hand -- I'm all of a flutter."_

_"Delighted, Mr. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."_

_"I've seen you before!" said Harry, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop."_

_"He remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? He remembers me!" Harry shook hands again and again -- Doris Crockford kept coming back for more._

_A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching._

_"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."_

_"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p- pleased I am to meet you."_

_"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?"_

_"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it. "N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought._

_But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Harry to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble._

_"Must get on -- lots ter buy. Come on, Harry."_

"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Diggums." Harry extended his hand.

"Pleasure is all mine Harry." His smile was broad, warm and inviting. "We meet again."

Harry smiled back "for the third time, I believe."

Diggums chuckled. "You _do_ remember me!"

"How could I forget the man who shook my hand in Muggle Surrey with a purple cloak?" Harry remembered the event with bittersweet memories.

They sat talking until the clock was pointing at 'why bother going to sleep now?' Harry stood and stretched out kinks in his back and headed upstairs. He was passing Ginny's room when the door opened suddenly, and a hand grabbed his shoulder, dragging him into the room. 

Ginny smiled at him mischievously and kissed him. "Good night Harry." She held him tight for a moment and then went to release him, realizing that he hadn't let go yet. She smiled, and sank into his warm embrace. They were still holding each other when a slightly disheveled Hermione interrupted them. Harry kissed her one last time and finished the climb to Ron's room. 

He collapsed in his customary bed, Ron was still awake. "Harry, it's so good to be home, but, to be honest mate, I'd give almost anything _not_ to be sleeping in the same room as you." He then picked his head up and grinned at Harry. "No offense you understand, it's just…"

"Yeah, I know…" Harry rolled over and closed his eyes. It was going to be a _long_ night.

Morning came and with the rising of the sun ten weary young men and women descended on the Weasley kitchen. Molly was positively in her element Harry thought as he watched the older woman go through the tasks to prepare a hearty breakfast for them all.

Last night while waiting for sleep to overcome him, Harry had come up with a training regime for the week that was still taxing, but not on the same level as their usual routine. It started with three laps around the Weasley property, which they were on the first half of the first lap now.

"Oi, Harry, do we really have to do three laps?" Ron was groaning.

"Yes Ron, three laps." Harry grunted out, wondering if he was doing this only as a way to burn off his frustration from last night. He knew for a fact that Susan and Lisa had not gone to sleep right away last night. Arthur had added a couple new rooms at the top of the stairs at the same level as Ron's, and Lisa had been overly vocal last night. 

They completed the run, all ten exhausted, Molly had placed a large pot of hot chocolate and several large mugs on the table outside. After a break, Harry considered the next phase of their training. He opened the book Sirius had been keeping track of their progress in, and he glanced over the notes.

Harry scanned over them; apparently they were supposed to learn the unforgivable curses. He had some knowledge of them from Barty Crouch Jr. who had been imitating Mad Eye Moody last year. 

_"Right then," he said, when the last person had declared themselves present, "I've had a letter from Professor Lupin about this class. Seems you've had a pretty thorough grounding in tackling Dark creatures - you've covered boggarts, Red Caps, hinkypunks, grindylows, Kappas, and werewolves, is that right?"_

_There was a general murmur of assent._

_"But you're behind - very behind - on dealing with curses," said Moody. "So I'm here to bring you up to scratch on what wizards can do to each other. I've got one year to teach you how to deal with Dark -"_

_"What, aren't you staying?" Ron blurted out._

_Moody's magical eye spun around to stare at Ron; Ron looked extremely apprehensive, but after a moment Moody smiled - the first time Harry had seen him do so. The effect was to make his heavily scarred face look more twisted and contorted than ever, but it was nevertheless good to know that he ever did anything as friendly as smile. Ron looked deeply relieved._

_"You'll be Arthur Weasley's son, eh?" Moody said. "Your father got me out of a very tight corner a few days ago. .. . Yeah, I'm staying just the one year. Special favor to Dumbledore. . . . One year, and then back to my quiet retirement."_

_He gave a harsh laugh, and then clapped his gnarled hands together._

_"So - straight into it. Curses. They come in many strengths and forms. Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you countercurses and leave it at that. I'm not supposed to show you what illegal Dark curses look like until you're in the sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to deal with it till then. But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves, he reckons you can cope, and I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better. How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful. You need to put that away, Miss Brown, when I'm talking."_

_Lavender jumped and blushed. She had been showing Parvati her completed horoscope under the desk. Apparently Moody's magical eye could see through solid wood, as well as out of the back of his head_

_._

_"So. . . do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizardling law?"_

"Hermione, did you bring the books on the Unforgivable Curses?" he looked over at her lying down with her head in Ron's lap.

"Yea Harry." She made to get up. 

Harry held up a hand. "Later on, this afternoon; right now though I have something else in mind."

Almost as one the others groaned in protest.

"Come on, you haven't even heard what it is…" he protested.

"Well you bloody well tried to kill us just now with that running." Ron complained again. "Besides, it's cold out here."

"Language Ron!" Hermione snapped at him.

Harry stifled a snicker. "Right then, here's the deal. We are going to head into the woods, and do a little practice with search and detaining."

Hermione's head lifted and a wicked smile played over her lips a second. "Who are we teaming with?" She already knew the answer. 

"Normal teams." Harry said, he appeared all business but Ginny caught a glint in his eye, and a grin spread over her face. 

They got up and headed for the woods at a jog and dove into the cover, each couple finding a little peace and quiet for a little practice detaining each other. As Harry lay in the glow of their passion, he couldn't think of a better way to spend the afternoon.

All too soon, they made their way out of the woods and spent the rest of the afternoon pouring over the information Diggums had provided them last night, and the maps Mr. Weasley had brought them. Ron and Harry had the basis of a plan when Molly came outside into the area of warmth, clutching the Daily Prophet in her hands. "Harry Potter! _WHAT_ were you thinking?"

She dropped the paper on the table. In bold words covering the front of the paper was a picture of the golden phoenix over the Malfoy estate. 

**_Order of the Phoenix Requests a Meeting with Tom Riddle_**

_Tom, I know you are out there, and you know I'm after you. I would like a meeting between us to settle this once and for all. You can bring any of your followers you want. All I care is that you are there. Don't be a coward Tom, I'm waiting for you._

_I await your owl._

_Harry James Potter_

It had cost Harry 200 galleons for the entire front page. Money well spent he considered. Harry watched Molly Weasley head back inside.

Harry looked at the paper a second, "I asked them to use a different picture." He returned to the map Ron was pointing to Surrey. "Ron, I don't like that possibility, why would Voldemort want an outpost in Muggle England?" 

He looked up to see nine faces staring at him in shock. "What? This changes nothing; I just hate trying to ferret him out when I might be able to bring him to us."

"You don't really think he'll come?" Lisa asked, her hand finding Suzan's.

"When were you going to tell the rest of us Harry?" Cho asked irked. 

Harry smiled inwardly. Not only was the plan going to work to bring out the rest of their powers, but there was a small chance that it would actually bring Voldemort out into a real fight. One they would win.

"When I was ready." Harry braced himself. The cacophony of anger-induced voices was numbing. He focused his anger, and pushed it to the forefront like a shield to protect him. The noise washed over him sounding like little more than mosquitoes.

But they had to keep angry. He drew his last straw card, and with an internal grimace threw it into the fray. "**_You will damn well do exactly what I say when I damn well say it, and stop questioning my every move. I lead this group, it's not a democracy._**" True or otherwise, he was sure it would work. 

It did. In spades. The ground literally shook from the power. Harry focused, and drew the power into him, suddenly the noise stopped, and they were all looking at him. They were surrounded by a torrent of flame. The ground beneath their feet was cracked and broken. 

"There, now that wasn't so bad. Was it?" Harry smiled at them all, and the smile faded slightly in mild shock. He had known there would be changes, but he had not expected this.

Molly dropped the tray of sandwiches as she saw the small group of young men and women before her she could _see_ the magic flowing around them. She had known that this would happen eventually, but had not expected it so soon. They were looking confused. She understood, and gathered them all to the table. She looked at Harry expectantly, and he stood getting ready to speak.

"What has happened is we have er," he glanced at a small book, "quickened a second time. It means we have, bound ourselves completely to one another. We can feed and draw from each other's power.

"I challenged Tom Riddle to meet us on our own footing, and have been writing to him for the past week. I'm frankly sick of waiting for his clues, and I want this over with quickly. For that I'm willing to make a few risky moves."

Ron considered this for a moment. "You are drawing him out to put him on the same footing as we are, not yet at full potential. Good choice Harry."

The rest seemed to agree with Harry and Ron's assessment of the situation. 

"You said we share power?" Hermione asked, though almost more as a challenge than a query.

"Yes, and no, I can't force someone to give me anything, but if you are willing I can draw from you, er, like a muggle battery is used to store electricity." He looked around and hen sighed. "You don't know what a muggle battery or electricity is do you?" heads shook for most of them. "Well, think of it like each of you is a glass of water, and I drink all of mine, and ask each of you to give me a little bit of yours."

Cho blinked. "So we have to consciously give each other access to the power?"

Harry shrugged. "I'm not real sure I understand that part myself." He looked at Molly Weasley.

Molly smiled at them, but it was not her normal, warm smile, it was full of irony. "Well, in a way yes. You need to still trust one another, and as long as that trust is there, you have almost unlimited resources at your disposal."

Harry made note of the photographs in the Weasleys album, there were an exception number of them taken when the Weasleys had been twenty, or so he had thought, the reality struck him then. "How long did it last for you and Arthur?" He pointed at the pictures of the twenty year old looking Weasleys.

"We were out of school before Hagrid was in school Harry. For us it lasted thirty five years, and then Elishia Creevey was killed, and we all felt it." The tears were falling down her face in remembered pain. "They used the Cruacious curse until Elishia couldn't stand the pain anymore, and finally collapsed. The emotional feedback almost killed her lover Joseph Vonn."

"Elishia Creevey? I thought Colin and Dennis came from a Muggle family?" Harry looked confused.

"Oh, no, the Creevey's have had several family members who were witches and wizards." Molly looked like this line of thought was unpleasant. 

Harry thought it a good idea to change the subject, "When will Mr. Weasley be home? There are a few parts of this plan I'd really like to discuss with him and Mr. Diggums." The real reason he wanted to talk to Deedolus and Arthur was he thought he knew what target the death eaters were looking for in Surrey. They were searching for him, the same way they were searching for Voldemort and the prisoners.

He looked at the map for a bit and then at Ron "I think it's time I finally gave my _public_ what they want." Ron heard the disdain in his friend's voice over his fame. 

"Right then, Harry. How public do you want?" Ron again looked at the map.

"Very high-profile, and far from Surrey." Harry couldn't help it; he had to do something to get the Death Eaters away from the real target. As much as he hated the Dursleys, he didn't wish this on anyone. He grabbed a piece of parchment and then looked again at Molly. "Mrs. Weasley, what's the name of a very high profile real estate agent?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled, and gave him name. 

Harry wrote a hasty note, and handed the letter to Ginny. "Use Hedwig, and send this off please." When they touched a current flowed through them, both their eyes flew open wide, and the note drifted to the ground unnoticed. It was several seconds before either moved, and the flow of energy was not dissipated until they broke contact. 

Ron glanced over at Harry and Ginny, "You two ok?"

"Yeah" Harry muttered "just fine..." 

Ron leaned over to whisper in Hermione's ear, when their cheeks touched the flow of power was as poignant as it had been between Harry and Ginny. Hermione let out a little "Eep!" at the contact, but did not move. Mrs. Weasley noticed both events and smiled _Ah yes, the first time they share power, how, delicious it had been._ She blushed at the stray thought, that had been so many years ago, and they had been so much like these children. _No, not children, not any more. _Like these young men and women. Arthur had been strong and wise beyond his years, and she had been bookish, and full of practical advice. _So much like Ron and Hermione, so little like Harry and Ginny._ Harry was certainly the spitting image of his father, while she was pregnant with Ginny, they had been asked by Dumbledore to look over some Death Eater encampment Elishia had died that night, protecting Arthur and Molly. Arthur had been the practical one saying he and Elishia should go alone, but Molly had insisted neither of them would know what to look for. She had been teasing, and Elishia had teased right back claiming it was because Molly was afraid Arthur and her were going to be off on some tryst. The three had laughed loud and long, and Elishia had again offered to take another member, Vonn, on the scout. Molly had been firm, saying that it's not like they were going to fight or anything, and the power was strong then, they felt immortal.

She broke her reverie, and threw a pinch of powder in the fireplace. "Arthur Weasley." Within moments Arthur's head was in the fire. "Arthur dear, Harry and his friends need a hand with some Muggle junk they picked up from Surrey if you could be available tonight, in person. Oh, and is Deedolus coming for dinner?"

They knew conversations were being listened to, and had set up some key phrases. Arthur glanced at his wife in the fireplace. _So Harry and his Companions were going to do something about Surrey then? Excellent; I'll find Deedolus, and we'll get home as quickly as we can._ "Ah, no Molly, I can't help out until I get home, and yes Deedolus is bringing wine for dinner tonight."

Molly had loved the cloak and dagger phrases when they were fighting Voldemort and this just brought back memories. Her eyes registered Arthur as he was today, but in her heart and mind, he was twenty, brilliant with strategy, and like a racehorse full of nervous energy. 

"Molly, is there anything else?" Arthur looked concerned. 

"Oh, sorry Arthur, no, nothing, I was just thinking of something is all." Molly blushed and stood up. It was time for them to stand aside, and let the new Companions do their job. "I expect you'll be home on time tonight then?" Arthur smiled and nodded.


	18. chapter 17

Chapter 17

Harry had not actually planned on a direct response to his letters to Voldemort, yet he had been sending missives for almost a month. At first they were direct and to the point requests to return the prisoners, later they became more and more threatening. The last one had been more of a written slap in the face.

_Tom,_

_I don't fear you like the others seem to. I know you as the coward you are. I refuse to call you by that ridiculous name you have chosen for yourself, rather I'll call you by your given name that you hate so much, because quite frankly you are the most pathetic excuse for a wizard I have ever seen. A muggle name suits you far better than that moniker you claimed._

_It was once said you were capable of great and powerful magic. All I have seen from you so far is a full grown adult who bullies children. You were **defeated by an infant** how can you bear that kind of shame?_

_Well, the infant has grown up. It's time for you to face the fact I am not going to die, I'm not going away. You have to face me, because I learned your little secret. So long as I have my friends and fiancé you are getting less and less powerful aren't you? You can feel the power draining away from you, as I control more and more of the flow of power. _

_I paid for the front page of The Daily Prophet, you may want to read it, that is if you can crawl out from under whatever rock you are hiding under in Surrey._

_Harry Potter_

_Order of the Phoenix_

            He still smiled over the whole thing. Frankly he was still scared of admitting to anyone let alone Riddle that they weren't strong enough to defeat him. The only thing he could do is keep putting pressure on the death eaters. 

            Which lead them here. Here turned out to be a park, one for small children with swings, see-saws and a small wooden fort like construction. He remembered it from his days growing up just three blocks from here. The Companions and forty Aurors were talking in hushed whispers. They had transfigured their robes into police uniforms, and were waiting for the signal from their informant. It came in the form of a cat, with a message tied to its collar. 

_The attack is verified. Privet Drive. Midnight_

            Harry realized what this meant. They stood and broke into teams of two. Ginny reflexively following him to Number 4. He raised his hand to knock. "Are you sure they won't recognize me?" Harry asked for the tenth time. 

            Ginny nodded. "They will see what they want to see a handsome young police officer, which, by the way, you are."  

Her smile gave him a courage he hadn't known was in him. His hand fell on the wooden door rapping loudly. A quick glance at his watch, it was nine forty, plenty of time.

Vernon Dursley answered the door seeing a strikingly handsome pair of police officers at his door. "Mr. Vernon Dursley," the young man said as a statement, not a question.

"Yes, how may I help you?" Vernon's face was confused, and he was showing it.

"We are conducting an evacuation of Privet Drive. Please gather clothing for a two day stay, and leave the premises with all haste." Harry almost felt bad.

"WHAT? I'll do no such thing!" Vernon fumed.

Harry sighed it would have been so easy if he had just cooperated. "Mr. Dursley, if you do not evacuate this premises immediately, I will be forced to detain you in the jail until such time as we deem it safe."

Vernon's face grew noticeably pale, and the color rushed back in. Harry watched his eyes; he could always tell when Vernon was struggling between his own pig-headedness and authority. In this case, apparently, authority won. 

"I'll get my wife and we'll be ready to go in a few minutes. _PETUNIA!_" Vernon Dursley slammed the door on them.

"Well, that went better than I had hoped for." Harry and Ginny moved on to the next house. They had worked out the evacuation to make it appear as official as possible, word was "leaked" to the muggle media of a potential gas leak, and that they were evacuating the area. This had, of course been the focus of the evening news, and the reason that no one was making even as little fuss as Vernon had earlier.

They met with the rest of the Companions and the Aurors at ten pm at the park. Their nervous energy was apparent, and Harry could feel the bond between him and the Companions strengthen as time slid by. 

The Companions appeared for like nothing more than ten young men and women just out of Hogwarts and enjoying a light picnic in the waning hours of the night. The only thing distinguishing them from what they appeared was an occasional glimpse of gold and red on their right forearm.

At eleven forty-five, Harry stood, and rolled up his sleeves, the emblem of the phoenix emblazoned there like a glittering tattoo. Grimly the rest stood up, the gaiety of the picnic behind them. The Aurors looked at them in minor shock, that these young men and women appeared so powerful, and lead by _the_ Harry Potter. 

Harry walked over to McGivins. "Good to have you here Will." Harry shook the man's hand with measured respect. 

"Thanks Harry. Have you and Ron figured out a game plan? The 'gas leak' story was an exceptional story by the way." Hermione blushed a bit at the compliment. 

Ron scowled at William McGivins. "Yeah, here's the plan. In a nutshell, we are going to set up a defensive front here. The 'gas leak' will explain property damage after some modifications, though we are going to make every attempt to minimize that possibility." 

Hermione was looking at the area they were going to construct the wall over. The park was basically four empty lots that had been converted to a small children's park, named after some muggle who was born near here. Hermione had never heard of the man, and doubted anyone else had either.

She rejoined the Companions. If all worked out well, Voldemort would be captured, and contained as of tonight. If not, well. There was always next time.

She grimaced remembering the portkeys they had made, small muggle coins from Germany _Pfennig I believe they call them._ Very small. Very easy to swallow. She unconsciously rubbed her stomach. They were set to activate at five am. Dead or alive, at five am they were appearing in the Weasley living room.

Eleven fifty-five. They were paired up surrounding the Aurors who were looking to make their last stand in the park. _Ron called them the bait. Let's hope Riddle nibbles._ Harry snuck a glance at Ginny, her jaw set and her eyes mere slits for focus at night. Suddenly, the lamps in Privet Drive flickered, stuttered and went out. 

Forty voices uttered "_Lumious_" and wand tips flared. Just outside of the park stood the Death Eaters, and in the middle of them Voldemort. 

"Pathetic, I see that runt Potter didn't grace us with his presence tonight. Pity really." Voldemort rasped, sarcasm dripping off his words like venom, "I had truly hoped for a re-enactment of our last meeting. "How did it go again? Oh yes…" he turned to the Death Eaters after a short pause. "Kill the spare."

The Death Eaters advanced into the park, Voldemort hovering at the edge, just outside the boundary. Harry knew he'd have to draw Riddle in. He yelled out then "Tom Riddle, by the authority of the Minister of Magic, I am placing you under custody for the willful misuse of magic against Muggle and Wizard alike."

Voldemort took the bait and stepped into the park. That instant the Auror's Disapparated on que and the Companions raised their wards. Harry reached into his rucksack and pulled out the dull greenish liquid contained in the crystal vial and advanced on the now trapped death eaters. 

"I have a gift for you Tom," Harry continued advancing on them his eyes never leaving Voldemorts, "it took a lot of time and effort to put this gift together. I'm sure you can appreciate the effort; one man gave his life for this gift. It has become precious to me, and I am sure it will to be to you, as well."

He held out the vial, the tips of his fingers just brushing the edge of the wards. Harry's hatred and revulsion were growing more and more powerful, however he kept them in check. "Take this vial Tom, my gift to you is life."

Voldemort looked at Harry and the vial. "You must think me stupid, boy."

Harry's face twisted as the rage pounded in his ears. "No, Tom. I think you are quite clever, and as such you can see the validity of my offer. Nothing can pass through this ward. It's as simple as that. Not even air."

Voldemorts face twisted in pure hatred. "If you drink this Tom, we'll drop the wards, if you don't we'll go play chess for a few hours and ask you again when the air has become a touch stale."

Voldemort glared at Harry. "You can't kill me."

"You are right, of course Tom, _I_ can't kill you, despite how much I _want _to, and I can't." He looked sadly at Voldemort, "that restriction however was never placed on Cho Chang. In spring, you ordered the death of Cedric Diggory. Cedric was Cho's lover." 

Cho moved forward. "Don't take the vial, please. I am going to enjoy watching you all suffocate." Her eyes glinted in hatred and she had become quite the terror. 

Harry handed her the vial. "You see Tom; I've placed _your_ life in _her_ hands."

He turned to Ron. "Ron, let's play chess."

Ron looked at Harry as if he were mad. "Are you barking, Harry? We don't have time for this."

"Oh, you are wrong Ron, you never know when you'll have time for the simple things, pleasures like Chess, reading a good book, or making love. Personally, with you, I think I'd rather play chess," he reached into his rucksack pulling out a chess set, "its muggle chess I'm afraid, but it's good enough for now." The small set opened up, and Ron sat across from Harry. "Besides, your sister might get jealous, and Hermione didn't bring a good book." 

Ron snorted, and looked at Harry already concentrating on the board. "Well then Harry, set up your defenses."

Ron was surprised, Harry was playing quite well, and yet it still wasn't good enough. Cho had stopped her tirade almost an hour before, and had taken to stalking the perimeter of the wards asking them if it were feeling hotter, or less comfortable in there.

"Check and mate Harry. Bloody brilliant game though." 

Harry looked up at Ron and smiled. He then stood and moved over to the wards. "Well Tom, changed your mind yet?"

Voldemort simply glared at Harry. 

Harry shrugged. "Let's see, I read a good book last week, I just got done playing chess, and as for making love," his eyes flickered to Ginny, "well, we will do something about that later. So, what can we do to pass the time? Oh! I know! A muggle game it's called 'Twenty Questions'. I'll go first.

"Where are the hostages Riddle?" Harry's eyes were blazing green.

"I had them killed. Boy."

"Oh! One point from Riddle's team," Harry's wand flickered to the side a small scoreboard lit up, on the top were two names 'POTTER' and 'RIDDLE'. The score read 01 00. "For excessive cheek and poor sportsmanship."

Voldemort glared some more.

"Ok, let's try another one. Where are the students being held Tom?"

"You'll never find them." 

"My, my. Someone's not taking the game seriously." The scoreboard ticked, and the score now read 02 00. "I think it's time to impress on Tom the severity of his situation." He looked at Hermione. "Release a death eater." He turned to Justin and Cho, "kill the death eater."

Voldemorts eyes widened at that. Hermione uttered an incantation, and one of the death eaters shifted out of the hemisphere. Justin placed him in a full body bind. Cho looked at the trash on the ground before her, and placed her wand tip on his throat. "_Reducto_" He lasted five minutes.

Justin placed a hand on her shoulder, and whispered in her ear for a minute. She pulled away from the body. 

Harry watched the scene impassively. "Well, now that that is over Tom, let's see what the score is now." The board showed 03 00, "oh my, not going well for the Riddle Team." He rubbed his chin in thought. "Where, Tom, can I find the remaining students?"

Voldemort was looking at Harry differently now. "So what makes you righteous Potter? What makes you so noble? One of my men lay dead from suffocation by your orders. You are no better than Worrith who slew that Diggory brat."

"Ah, interesting questions. I am righteous because the man lying dead at my feet is a cold-blooded killer, and I have saved him from going insane in Azkaban. My nobility springs from the fact that in my mercy I didn't just have the lot of your servants taken there, each one has the right to request a quicker death than the one given by the dementors." The scoreboard flicked again, 05 00. 

"Now, it's my turn again. Where can I find the students?"

Voldemort stared back at Harry. "I have them held in a series of caverns." 

Harry considered this. "Good, but not enough to score. Where is this cavern?

Voldemort glared at him "You can't wait here long enough for me to die from suffocation."

"I'd like to remind you, Tom. By using my blood to resurrect yourself, you removed the protection my mother gave me from you." The smile spread over his mouth, "however, you're now completely mortal, just like me."

Voldemorts eyes flashed hatred renewed. "You are lying."

"No, Tom, I'm not." Harry motioned Cho over to him, and took the vial from her. He placed it on the ground in front of the bubble. "Hermione, place the vial in with them."

He watched a bit of the surface bubble forward and grasp the small vial, then shrink back into the hemisphere. He walked over to Hermione and whispered into her ear "How much longer can you guys hold this?"

Her voice was strained, though she showed no outward signs of it. "At best two hours Harry." 

He smiled at her, "I'll work something out Hermione."

"Well Tom," he poured himself a glass of water and raised it in a toast "bottoms up."

The vial still lay on the grass, stoppered and waiting. "Just one swallow is all it'll take Tom. Then you, and your 'friends' can go free."

"What kind of a fool do you take me for Potter? What kind of poison is it?" Voldemort scoffed at Harry.

"Why Tom, and all this time I thought we were on a first name basis, after all you did kill my parents, and tried to kill me," Harry was working hard to keep his tone and voice calm during this pushing the anger and hatred down deep, controlling it. "You have my word that the potion will not kill you, and you will be permitted to walk free from here unharmed and unmolested." 

Voldemort picked up the vial and looked at it carefully. "So what does the potion do then _Harry_?"

"Let's just say that if you drink that, you will be able to leave the barrier Tom." Harry sat then on the grass, and began toying with his wand, twirling it in his fingers almost carelessly.

Voldemort looked at Ginny, "tell me girl, what is this?"  
  


Harry looked up and stopped twirling his wand. "Tom, you are breaking the rules. Hermione release another death eater."

She raised her wand and hesitated a moment then released the next death eater. 

Lucius Malfoy tumbled onto the ground outside the hemisphere of magic, and found himself staring at Harry Potter, and hearing a full body bind being cast on him.

Harry saw a lock of silver-blonde hair and lifted the mask. "Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasant surprise. Let's see, what do I have to say about you? Oh plenty." He nodded as if Malfoy had said something. "Yes, I _do_ have to thank you for bringing Ginny and I together you know. Ahhh, the memories of pain and the torture you put her through. Oh, this is going to be fun isn't it?

"See, the little 'problem' of not killing does not apply to you Mr. Malfoy, you attacked my family. Oh, I see you don't understand. The Weasleys adopted me, and well, it's perhaps a bit of a technicality, but you and I both know you placed the diary in Ginny's cauldron in her first year. So, I can do this. _Reducto_."

He survived just three minutes. 

Harry looked up at Voldemort. "So Tom, let's discuss your reticence to drink that potion so loving crafted for you, by the way, by the lovely and talented Lisa Turpin." Harry motioned Lisa over. "Now look at that face Tom, she worked so hard on it, and you would just disregard it so casually?"

Harry removed his arm from Lisa's shoulders, and she moved back to where she had been standing. Harry noticed all of the Companions were looking tired. "Hermione, release another one." He turned to her "this time, make sure it's our old friend."

She turned her attention to the prisoners and released a man who almost got to his feet before the bind was placed on him. 

"Auror Vonn," Harry stated roughly moving his mask aside "I'm not going to kill you, you are going to Azkaban. Auror McGivins will see to that. Tom, Tom, Tom, you are running out of friends."

Voldemort uncapped the potion and drank it.

"All of it Tom." Harry watched the clear bottle drain. "Every last drop."

Suddenly he clutched at his stomach, and his form shifted, he aged rapidly, jet black hair shooting through with silver, and finally a dull white. 

"Well now Tom, welcome to your new life." Harry nodded to Hermione, and the hemisphere disappeared. "You are all free to go, however violence begets violence, if you harm a single person, we will hunt you down and kill you."

"Tom, you may be asking yourself what has happened. Well, the short form is, you are what would be called a 'squib' now. The potion is a virus that eats away at your magic. Your most powerful magic is the one that gave you youth and health. Those are gone, and by daybreak you no doubt will be hard pressed to levitate a feather."

The Aurors were advancing with wands drawn. It was working like planned. Ron had been a genius, and Harry would need to lavish huge praises on him later. Publicly. Voldemort chuckled and then reached inside his coat for a small stone with a pop he was gone. 

The Aurors stunned the remaining death eaters and took Vonn into custody.

Harry and Ginny sat in the park with the rest of the Companions not talking, just looking around. 

So this had been it. The 'war' was over the final battle had happened and with a minimum of bloodshed or harm. The bodies of the death eaters were gone, and Riddle was to be a squib soon. Then one by one they disappeared. 

The next morning the residents of Privet Drive returned to their homes as saw the oddest thing on the football field scoreboard "POTTER 10 RIDDLE 00". Vernon Dursley was outraged and spent the rest of the day in a fury that he could not vent on the person responsible. That bastard nephew Harry Potter.


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

            Harry slept well that night in his room, enjoying the solitude. It had felt odd when they had returned to the Burrow, but Harry found himself enjoying the peacefulness of _his_ room. 

            He was still enjoying it ten minutes later when the door opened a crack, and Ginny slipped into the room, she snuck up to his bed ad hopped in. "Shove over Harry." 

            _Ok_, he thought, _perhaps solitude and peacefulness isn't all it's cracked up to be._ His arms wrapped around Ginny as she snuggled into him.

            Morning came silently; the light crept over the floor to finally shine in the face of the young woman sleeping in her lovers arms. Her eyes fluttered open and her lips curled in a smile, she nudged Harry awake. "Time to get up sleepy, it's a new day." She stood and stretched then kissed him softly on the forehead and slipped from the room. 

            He made her way to the bathroom, showered, and peeked into the hallway, making the run to her room easily. As her door snapped shut, she heard the unmistakable sound of Harry's feet padding to the loo. As she was pulling on her sweats, she left her room and saw Harry's retreating backside with a trail of water tantalizingly sliding down his broad shoulders. 

            Ginny shook herself mentally, _Wow, and I thought Harry was hot before the quickening._ She blushed and headed for the kitchen where Molly was busy preparing breakfast. "Morning Mum!" She said brightly. 

            Molly smiled at her daughter. "So, how did you sleep last night dear?"

            Ginny's eyes narrowed slightly as she answered. "Quite well Mum, and you?"

            "Oh, I didn't get much sleep early on in the night, but I did later on, it would seem there was a lot of nocturnal movement last night." Her mother was spooning porridge into bowls. Toast was stacked in the center of the table. 

            Ginny tried everything she could think of not to blush, and she fought for control of her voice. "Really Mum? I – I wonder what could have been going on."

            Molly set the pan down on the table and looked her daughter in the eyes. "Did you sleep with Harry last night?" Ginny was amazed at the calmness in her mother's voice.

            "Yes Mum, I did. You know Harry asked me to marry him quite some time ago." She reached inside her sweatshirt and pulled out the ring showing it to Molly.

            Molly's eyes widened at the ring. "It's lovely Ginny." She was almost breathless, then as if she had managed to clear her train of thoughts. "When were you planning on getting married then?"

            Ginny looked at her mother. "Well, we had decided after school, and after Vol – You-Know-Who, was defeated." She gave a small laugh. "So one out of two isn't bad then…"

            Molly held up the _Daily Prophet_ the headline read **_Dark Mark Displayed Over Kent_**. Ginny's eyes flew open wide. "NO! It's not possible!" She snatched the paper and flew upstairs. "Harry!"

            Harry followed Ginny down the stairs thumping on each door as they came to them, calling for the Companions downstairs. Ron spent time analyzing the photo and story after Ginny's quick rousing had brought them to breakfast. 

"Well, this mark was made last night, of that I am certain. Now, the question is at what time?" Harry looked thoughtful. "Is it possible Riddle and his little gang made this mark _before_ Surrey?"

            Ron shook his head slowly, and pointed to a paragraph. 

            _The attack by the Death Eaters happened at 2:45 am. Fortunately the intended victims were not home, but were instead in Egypt on business._

"Why attack an empty house, and why leave the dark mark?" Harry muttered.

            "Blimey mate; it's bloody obvious isn't it?" Ron looked shocked at Harry.

            "Language Ron!" Hermione and Molly admonished him simultaneously.

            Ron sighed and buried his face in his hands.

            "Despite Ron's crude way of saying it Harry, it _is _obvious." Hermione looked at him surprised. "He's telling us the virus didn't work."

            Harry's jaw set, and his face became unreadable. Ginny, however saw the fires blazing in his eyes. Harry was at his most dangerous right now, and she had to diffuse him. 

            Harry was startled when a soft pair of lips claimed his. His emotions had been spiraling down, the hatred focusing. The lips belonged to Ginny, and the kiss caused Harry to lose his concentration. Suddenly he felt power unlike any he had ever felt before. He could _feel_ the magic in the room. When he opened his eyes, he saw everyone staring at him.

            Ginny had intended only on kissing Harry to break him out of this mood, they needed him level-headed now more than ever. She had not intended on triggering yet another power, but there he stood cloaked in a misty gold barrier. 

            "H-Harry, are you ok?" Lisa asked.

            Harry turned to look at Lisa, "**_yes, I'm fine._**" His voice was melodious, so beautiful you hung on every word.

            "Oh my god." Lisa looked at Harry in a way that suddenly had Ginny feeling threatened. "I don't even like men, but _Harry_…" her voice was husky with desire.

            His eyes locked with Ginny's "**_What's wrong love?_**" Ginny's knees abandon any attempt to hold her up. 

            "H-Harry, s-stop it." Ginny couldn't take her eyes off him, and his voice was beyond beautiful he had to stop now, or there was no telling what she would do.

            Harry felt as if all the troubles of the world were suddenly very far away, and very small. He felt raw power flow through him as he had never felt before. He wanted to hold onto it, but Ginny had asked him to let it go. He found the source and pulled back from it, the golden haze lifting slowly, and his voice returning to normal.

            With the effects of the aura gone, Harry felt tired, but not exhausted. He sat down next to Ginny. "I'm starved," and began to eat.

            Ron sat there gaping at Harry, a slice of toast forgotten in his hand. "What in the bloody hell was _THAT?_" 

            Hermione didn't even bother saying anything about his language. "I think that is the culmination of the power Ron."

            Justin was still rubbing his eyes. "Harry, I like you as a friend, and respect you as a leader, so understand when I say I have no idea where those thoughts of mine came from."

            Cho was also staring at Harry still, when she spoke her voice was silky and stressed with emotion, "Oh, _I_ know where they came from…" It seemed the rest of the females agreed.

            Hermione cleared the last bit of huskiness from her throat. "Perhaps, Harry, it'd be best not to attempt that one again until you can control the other powers. The results could be, erm, disastrous." 

            Harry simply finished his meal, and sat back. "So, let's recap, Tom isn't incapacitated, he wants me dead, and is trying to draw us out into another direct conflict, and my secret weapon is the ability to become some sort of sex-idol for all around me, that about cover it?"

            In the end they all agreed with Harry's summary. "Looks that way mate." Ron answered for the group.

            "Well just bloody lovely!" He thumped his forehead on the table and stayed there with his head down. A few minutes later they heard his voice, "you know, it'd almost be funny if it weren't so _stupid_."

            Suddenly he jerked his head up. "Wait one second!" He quickly surveyed the room, and his eyes got narrow. "Ron, quietly pick four people and have them leave." Harry laid his head on the table again, his eyes shut. 

            Ron pointed to Ginny, Lisa, Cho and Justin and motioned them to leave. As soon as they left Ron said "Ok mate, now what?"

            Harry without lifting his head said slowly. "You selected Ginny, Lisa, Cho, and Justin and sent them into the living room where Lisa is sitting on the couch, Cho is standing behind Justin rubbing his shoulders, and Ginny is listening at the door."

            Harry picked his head up, and Susan opened the door to see the scene Harry had just relayed. Ron stared at him. "How?"

            "I can feel all of you. I know where you are. I can – I can almost hear what you are thinking. He turned to Hermione and stared at her, his eyes boring into her soul. "No, I can hear it, I just need to concentrate." He released her from his gaze.

            "This is going to take something more than I have. I need help. We _have_ to get Dumbledore back." Harry felt his knees weaken slightly as his thoughts turned to Albus Dumbledore. 

            They were in a cell. The walls were made of cut stone blocks. Dumbledore was in the cell with Sirius and Remus; they were discussing the best method for getting word to Harry. He screamed in his mind _where are you?_

            Dumbledore's head jerked and he said softy "Harry?"

            _I am here Professor, but I don't know how long I can keep this up, where are you?_

            "We don't know Harry, we are in a castle in Wales is all we know."

            _We'll find you Professor, don't worry._

            Harry collapsed, and called for Ron weakly. "Ron – castle in Wales. Find it." 

            Ron bolted from the kitchen and threw powder in the fireplace "Arthur Weasley" he shouted into the flames. 

            Arthur's head appeared, and he looked at Ron nervously. "What is it Ron? What's wrong?"

            "Dad, I need an atlas of all magical castled in Wales." Ron thought to himself '_Because Harry wants it done, and then passed out, Gods that even sounds weak to me.' _"I don't know much more than we need to find all the magical castles in Wales."

            Arthur nodded, and said goodbye. He left for the Department of Magical Housing, and once he had the rather sizeable list walked out to the front of the building and vanished.

            At home, Harry was just regaining consciousness as Ron brought him the list. "There are twelve registered structures, and six more that are probably not occupied" Ron had each one categorized for Harry.

            "Hermione's rubbing off on you Ron, this is very nice. Very organized and detailed." Ron grimace at him and cuffed him on the arm. "Starting tomorrow, we are going to be traveling light, and fast." He stood up and smiled. "Looks like we may get everyone back after all."

            He then walked up to his room and started to go through his belongings, rearranging his rucksack and re-packing supplies. He was stuffing the invisibility cloak into the pack when a soft knock interrupted him. He focused his concentration a moment. "Come on in Lisa."

            Lisa Turpin opened the door to Harry's room and closed it behind her. "Harry, I – I just wanted to apologize for earlier. I don't know…" 

            Harry had turned to her, and held up his hand. His sleeve slid down revealing the phoenix glittering there. "Don't worry Lisa, it's no one's fault. We didn't know what would happen."

            Lisa smiled, and surprised Harry by hugging him. "Thanks Harry, you are the best." Her mood lightened she left the room. 

Harry got a lopsided smile as he stared at the doorway. "Come on in Ginny."

Ginny walked in blushing slightly, "I'm sorry Harry, but most of my gear is in here." 

Harry shrugged. "Its ok love, Lisa was apologizing for drooling earlier." He chuckled to himself. "Are you apologizing too?"

"Me apologize? Never. I can drool all I want." She winked at him and began arranging her medi-pouch. "Besides, Susan'd kick your arse if you put moves on Lisa."

Harry laughed aloud as they finished up the packing. He sighed, "And to think this morning, I thought everything was working out like planned." He turned to Ginny "Gin, I know I said we'd wait until after Tom was defeated, and after school, but I don't _want_ to wait." He dropped to his knee in front of her like he'd seen on that horrid soap opera his aunt used to watch. "Ginny, would you marry me?"

She stood there initially confused, and then she simply nodded fighting the tears. 

He smiled at her, and removed the ring from the necklace and placed it on her finger. "We still need to get that resized." The ring had a tendency to rotate until the gem was pointing into her palm. Harry chuckled at this a moment, and stood up. "Well, at least it won't fall off." He winked at her and kissed her deeply.

"So when had you planned on this wedding taking place, Mr. Potter?"

Harry's wistful look turned serious. "I had hoped fairly soon, to be honest Ginny. I promised you after Riddle was no longer a menace, but to be honest, I don't want to wait anymore. I don't want to live my life on _his_ schedule any more. I want to be Harry Potter, that nice young man next door with a lovely wife, and kids. I want to be _normal_ dammit! Is that _so_ much to ask?" Tears were building up in Ginny's eyes as he talked. She understood him so well. 

"I want a small ceremony, with just close friends, and family there. I want a small cottage in Hogsmeade so when our kids go to Hogwarts we can pester them to come see us on the weekends. I want to walk to some obscure job and come home at night to a good meal, and Hermione and Ron over to listen to the Cannons lose and Ron to rant about it. We can watch our kids grow up together, and visit your parents every other weekend; spending holidays enjoying ourselves rather than cowering in fear of some stupid mark." She had folded his hands in hers and simply listened. 

"Harry, you can have that you know. All we need to do is to live, and not let Voldemort rule over us in fear. So long as we fight, and live he'll never win. It's that simple."

He looked thoughtful a moment, and then grinned mischievously, "Come on then, let's get the others." He pulled her from the room and they got everyone herded into the living room. "Before we head out, I have a few things I want to say, and one thing I want to do." He surveyed the faces around him smiling. "I'd like you all to come with me to Hogsmeade for a few hours, let's go look at something, and for three hours, we'll pretend we are enjoying a Hogsmeade weekend."

The smiles were all the encouragement he needed. "Ron, set the portkey, and let's go." Shortly the Companions were in Hogsmeade, and wandering the streets. Harry led them to a section on the outskirts near the Shrieking Shack. Five small cottages sat there slightly run down, each with a for sale notice on the door. "Well? What do you think?"

The others looked at him curiously, Hermione screwed up her courage first. "About what Harry? I'm sure with some work they'd be lovely, but what about them?"

"I was hoping, thinking we ten could buy them, move in, once everything is over. We can move in, fix them up, and live near ones we care about." Truth be told they had all felt it that morning, an almost palpable sense of relief that Voldemort was still powerful. They were still together. 

Ron appraised the houses carefully. "I don't know Harry. Where would we get the money for them? It's not like the Order exactly has a great payroll, and saving the world has great karma payments, but I doubt we could get the houses on a whole lot of good will."

"Where there's a will, mate, there's a way, and I have that way." He went to the first house and read the notice. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a quill and some ink, tore a small piece of the parchment off and jotted down some information, folded it up and they went on their way laughing and talking. 

"And what about your house?" Hermione asked. 

            "I can't live there. Even after the work Ginny and I put into the place, it just does not feel like a home. It really isn't me." He finished smiling lopsidedly. "I don't want servants, and a huge house. I'm selling off the estate, and using the money to buy these houses."

In the Three Broomsticks they had a butterbeer, and headed for Zonkos. Once in the shop, however they could feel a certain amount of wrongness to the place. There were no students, and people were looking at them curiously. They cut their visit short and returned to the Weasleys to finish packing, and prepare for their search.


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

            Two arduous weeks of sleeping in barns, and sometimes the wide open left the Companions haggard and tired. They had searched no less than ten ruins, and had one more to search before they returned for a short period to Hogwarts to re-supply. Harry and Ron were sipping tea, the last of that provision, and nibbling on cheese as they looked over a crudely drawn map. 

            "If I were a betting man, I'd say it'd be on the coast." Harry said after studying the map they had, and comparing it with a muggle map of the area. He finished his tea and glared at the map. "I don't know why, but I get the feeling that he's on the coastline, or close to a large body of water, like at Hogwarts."

            Ron shrugged. "I trust your instincts Harry; you have a definite link to Voldemort, and your hunches count more than vague sighting references."

            They traced the route they would fly that night on the brooms. "Cloud cover is going to work for us tonight," Harry looked again at the grey clouds looming overhead, "nothing will see us tonight."

            They broke up their small camp, and waited for nightfall. The small group took to talking at night, keeping the subject light. Tonight they were talking about the color they'd paint their house in Hogsmeade. Harry had insisted on traveling into the town close by and getting food. They ate a nice meal of Chinese take away; Harry was talking to Ron, Cho and Justin about Quidditch. _This is right_ Harry thought _this is the way it should be._

            As the sun set, they packed the last of their items, and mounted their brooms. When the sun set finally, the ten pushed off the ground, and shot up to just under the clouds. They stayed near to each other, and kept watch for the town near the next set of ruins. _Well, perhaps there's a nice hostel we can sleep in beds tonight._ Harry thought idly he raised his hand over his head, and let his fingers slip through the moist clouds, and small smile played on his lips. _Dudley__ will never know something as simple and yet exhilarating as this. I almost pity him._ The errant thought fled from him as rapidly as it came to him, and he concentrated again on the task ahead of him. 

            He felt Ginny come up alongside him. "I thought I was the only one who did that." She was smiling at him.

            "Do what?" he looked at her and smiled.

            "Run your fingers through the clouds. It's such a wonderful feeling, like we are closer to the world than the muggles ever could be. We fly exposed to the elements, and they cower in their planes." She looked over at him and grabbed his hand in hers. "I much prefer our way of life, it's not as fraught with the complexities that they seem to have."

            "Yet here we are protecting them by risking our lives." He pointed to a small cluster of lights below, a small village slid beneath them. "They don't know who Riddle is, they don't know real evil, and _that_ is what I am fighting to protect. That and to make sure that the only world that gave a damn about me is kept just the way it is."

            They held hands and let the miles travel in silence. Shortly the village Harry was looking for came into view. He motioned for them to follow him to a small copse of wood just outside of the lights of the city. They hurriedly transfigured their robes into long winter coats, and shrunk their brooms into their packs. 

            The town was small, quaint and quiet. Harry liked it already. Hermione had rehearsed their cover story; they were archeology students from a small university in Kent studying the ruins in Wales. It was the perfect cover for them to snoop and have bulging rucksacks full of odd gear. No one paid them any attention, and let them be about their business. 

            They found the hostel easily, and Harry asked to rent five rooms, the manager was more than helpful, giving them bedding and towels. He inquired about the length of their stay, Hermione said they would be staying three days, and paid the man upfront for the rooms. They then asked for a place to eat, and were given directions to a small restaurant just a block away.

            The restaurant was easy to find, and when they got there the waitress looked at them oddly for a minute, and went to the back room. Shortly a small, but burly man came forward. He looked at each of them and his eyes lit on Harry, his gaze was steady, but it flicked up and took in Harry's scar. "Mr. Potter." A smile spread over his face, "it is a complete honor, and my son was in Ravenclaw. I can't thank you enough for returning him to us." His hand energetically pumped Harry's. "Tonight you dine as _my_ guests." He fled to the kitchens, and a half hour later, Harry was eating dishes that rivaled the Hogwarts house elves. 

After dinner a young man came out of the back, Harry recognized him as one of the students from the raid on the Malfoy mansion. Harry stood, and shook the young man's hand. "I – I can't thank you enough Mr…" 

"It's just Harry." He smiled what he hoped was a warm and encouraging smile.

"Ok, Harry. Thanks again, I…" his eyes started to fill. 

Harry held up his hand, "Its ok, you don't have to talk about it. You are safe now, and if all goes well, you'll be safe for good soon." He sat back down, and invited the young man to join them. "You know Cho Chang, and Justin Finch-Fletchley I assume?" The boy nodded. "Then, this is Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Lisa Turpin, Susan bones, Hanna Abbot, Dean Thomas, and Ginny Weasley."

"Wow, you are going to fight You-Know-Who?" his eyes widened, and suddenly he blushed, "erm, I'm Jason Voorhees. I am, er was in second year."

"You'll be in third year next year Jason." In that instant Jason saw the hero they had all come to rely on, and his eye's widened even more. He could almost _see_ the magic flow from Harry Potter. 

Ginny touched Harry's arm and he heard her whisper "Harry dear, you are glowing."

Harry blushed, and concentrated on calming down. He smiled a bit shakily at Jason. "Er, sorry about that Jason. I – well, I sometimes forget I'm not in the Wizardling world."

Jason suppressed a laugh, but no one else at the table seemed to be able or willing to even try. Harry glared at them and chuckled himself once he thought over what he'd said. 

"I'm sorry to cut this short, but we need rest, we have a lot of work to do." Harry placed a friendly hand on Jason's shoulder. "Try not to worry."

They thanked Jason's father and left only after promising to eat there every night they were in town. Jason's father would hear nothing of payment, insisting that the return of his only son was repayment enough.

When they reached their hostel, the man who had checked them in was gone, and a young woman was there. She looked up and smiled at them. "Good night Mr. Potter, good dreams." 

They had almost reached their rooms when Harry stopped a cold chill fled down his spine. They had been talking when they entered the hostel, and it just now registered to Harry what the night clerk had said. His eyes narrowed, and he reached for his wand. "Something is wrong." He hissed. The others followed his suit and drew their wands. 

"What's wrong Harry?" Ron asked in a whisper.

"She knew me. She said 'Good night Mr. Potter'."

"So? She could have talked to the other man, and he told them who we were and that we were returning here after dinner." Ron suddenly was feeling the implausibility of the statement even as he said it.

They moved slowly and quietly to the room assigned to Ginny and Harry. Harry pressed his ear to the door, and waited. No sound emanated from the room. He readied himself, carefully slid the key into the lock, and slowly turned it. He felt the door latch give, and he slid back behind the jamb, and flung the door open. He heard the "_Avada Cadavera_" and saw twin greenish lights slam into the opposing wall. 

He stuck his wand around the corner. "_Expeleramus_" he heard the satisfying _thud_ of a body hitting the wall, and the _pop_ of a disapparation. They walked into the room half-expecting to hear the other doors opening. They quickly surveyed the room, and saw his and Ginny's packs had been rifled through, and her potions were now a mess having been crushed on the floor. The man on the ground was masked in true death eater fashion. 

Harry lifted the mask, and was completely unsurprised to find Draco Malfoy's face. "Like father like son." Harry gave Malfoy a full-body bind, and searched him. Malfoy woke up halfway through, and glared at Harry.

"Nice of you to join us Draco." Ron said handing a vial to Harry. 

Harry took the vial, and opened it "Do you know what this is Draco? I'll tell you regardless. It's going to dampen your magic; you won't be able to cast so much as a light." He poured the contents of the vial over Malfoy. "There now. _Finite Incantum._" 

Malfoy stood before them, on slightly shaky knees. "Now what Potter? Care to finish off the Malfoy family?"

"Don't tempt me Draco, or I just might." Harry took Malfoy's wand into his hands and studied it for a moment. Suddenly in a rush of adrenaline and anger Malfoy's wand shattered. Brushing bits of wood off his cloak. "Now then Draco, let's talk about a few things. Let's catch up on old times, and old friends." Harry sat on the edge of the bed, and motioned for Draco to sit in a chair opposite him. 

"I won't tell you a god damned thing Potter." Draco snarled out.

Hermione placed a small crystal vial of a clear liquid on the table in front of him. "Yes Draco, you _will_ tell us anything we ask."

Harry locked eyes with Malfoy, "Talk to me Draco, I don't want to force the serum down your throat, I will, but I don't want to."

Malfoy spat at Harry. "Do your worst Potter."

Harry stood swiftly and before anyone could stop him had backhanded Malfoy. He grabbed the vial, unstoppered it, and was going to force the contents down Draco's throat vial and all. Ron and Justin managed to pull him back. Malfoy was nursing a split lip. Instinctively Ginny reached out with a wad of gauze. "**_STOP GINNY!_**" the words rolled like thunder. Everyone's eyes shifted to Harry in almost fear. "**_Malfoy start talking you slimy bastard or I'll kill you._**" The aura was back, the golden eddies of power surrounded him freely this time. It was easy, and it was power, raw and unchecked.

Before he could stop himself, Malfoy had opened his mouth and the words just came out. He told them all of the plans Voldemort had had for them, the plot and how they had managed to draw the students and staff from the castle. How easy it had been to lay traps for them at every turn. 

Harry simply glared at Malfoy, and Draco kept talking. He detailed every student's current location, and welfare. There was a cache of them in this very village, the passwords to get into the building, and how many Death eaters were there.

"**_Thank you Draco._**" Harry lifted his wand then, "I'm so sorry it had to end this way." The words were on the tip of his tongue, just two words, and Malfoy would be out of his life for good. "_Avada Cad…"_ He choked. He couldn't even get rid of Malfoy. 

"_Avada Cadavera_" the green beam hit Malfoy in the chest. Harry's head whipped around to see Dean's wand still pointing at Malfoy's body. He was shaking, sweat beading on his forehead. 

The aura faded from Harry. He walked over to Dean placed a hand on Dean's shoulder. "Are you ok Dean?"

Dean shook his head no and ran to the toilet to be sick. "As soon as he's done and cleaned up, we leave for the warehouse." Ginny went to Harry and held him; they saw Hanna enter the toilet where Dean could still be heard.

Fifteen minutes later they were outside what appeared to be an abandon warehouse. The plan Ron had outlined to Harry seemed sound enough on the walk here, now, however there seemed to be gaping big holes in it. _Nothing for it now. _He raised his wand, and heard the others doing the same; their cloaks were shifting patterns of grey and black as the slid from shadow to shadow. 

For a brief instant, they thought there had been someone standing guard at the doors, but it had turned out to be a trick of the shadows. _Or had it,_ Harry mulled looking hard at a spot just beyond where he had thought he had seen the image. _There it is again. Yeah, someone with a cloak just like ours._

Harry motioned for them to all get down, and huddle to whisper to one another. The tops of their heads were touching, as Harry outlined their plan. None of them liked it, Harry had suggested he slip behind the building they were in front of and then remove his cloak to draw attention to himself. This would then allow the rest of them a good shot at stunning the guard. 

Harry heard Cho's voice "It's far too dangerous for you Harry, someone else should go. We can't be without a leader." 

"I can't ask anyone to risk themselves." 

"Perhaps, Harry, you don't have to." Was her reply, "perhaps someone has already volunteered?" 

Harry's head twisted to see a shadowy flitting between the buildings. "There's nothing for it now but to take advantage of it." He noted grimly. '_Dammit, what in the hell does she think she's doing?'_ Harry watched Susan's retreating form. When she was in position, he gave the word for them to move.

Susan dropped the cloak that had kept her hidden from view and whistled, diving behind a box as she did so. The death eater sent out a curse that struck the crates harmlessly. Harry was still trying to get a good indicator of the man's position, when his head came into view Harry struck then a brilliant red beam striking the man's head. Ginny and Hermione ran to the crates while the rest searched the body of the death eater. 

Ron heard Harry under his breath, "They aren't real people, they aren't real people…." He'd heard Harry using the same technique for a long time, he truly felt sorry for Harry, and he had gotten over the killing that night in Malfoy Mansion. That anyone would use Imperious to cause fourteen year old girls to perform such acts had driven any thought of humanity out of him for these monsters. Harry was different though, and as strong and powerful as he was, he still saw it as killing a person.

Ginny and Hermione found Susan lying behind the crates, one hand stuffed in her mouth tears running from her eyes. Her left leg was bent in an odd way, and blood was running freely from a gash in her upper arm. Hermione pressed gauze against the cut while Ginny cast a spell on her leg, causing it to straighten and reform. "It'll be a few minutes until that sets Susan," she then drew her wand over the cut, closing it "it's going to hurt like hell in a moment, and I have nothing left for pain relief."

Susan nodded, and Ginny cast a silencing charm around them, Susan screamed from the pain, Ginny held her through it. When the worst had passed Susan smiled weakly and said "Next time, leave it broken," she managed to get out between gasps.

"You need another scream?" Ginny asked her voice full of sympathy.

"No, I'll be ok. How long 'til I can walk?" 

"Ten minutes or so." 

"Then you should all go on without me. I'll be here when you get back."

Hermione handed Susan her cloak back. "Stay warm Susan, we'll be back shortly." She stopped and picked up a bottle casting a quick charm on it. "Break the bottle, and you'll be taken to the Weasleys. You'll be safe there."

Ginny and Hermione returned to the others, and explained the situation. Lisa looked as if she was being torn in two. "Lisa, stay with Susan. No one stays anywhere alone." Lisa's eyes brimmed with her gratitude as she bolted for her lover's side.

"Ok then, let's go." Harry announced opening the door slightly.

The inside was dark, but apparently not by design, two wizards were arguing as to why the lighting had gone out, and were busy lighting candles. Harry saw in the middle of the room a large cage apparently intended to be used on a very large animal packed with students. 

"By my best guess Harry, that's the lot of them" Ron said indicating the students in the cage "or if not it's the last of them still alive."

Harry simply nodded and they broke into teams. The only people here other than the students were the two attempting to recover light in the warehouse, the two death eaters didn't even know what hit them. Their bodies fell as Harry and Ginny reached the cage. Harry saw they had been mistreated, they were still wearing the same clothing as the day they had been taken from Hogwarts, they were filthy, and very underfed. 

It shocked almost all present to see the bars melt like water to the ground. The students stood cowering. Harry brought up his wand and in a moment a massive gold and red phoenix provided more light than they had had in a while. 

Ron began preparing them to be transported back to Hogwarts, Ginny took the first load with Hermione, Ron returned then for each group after until all were accounted for. Finally, the remaining Companions left the warehouse to get Lisa and Susan. As they set the watch to return to Hogwarts, Harry watched the phoenix rise through the roof, and unfurl its wings in triumph. 

They landed in the Great Hall, and Harry once again took control of the students, making sure they were well fed, and then sent to their houses with the new passwords they were told to clean up and get some sleep. Tomorrow they'd be sent home to their families.

That night Harry relaxed. The worst was over, in three days they'd free the staff. By then Ginny would be restocked on healing balms and potions. Lisa let Harry know Susan was going to be alright, she was just still in a bit of shock over the break. Apparently her shoe had caught on a nail, and her full weight had fallen on the femur of her leg, snapping it. 

He was still furious with her over the rash decision, but honestly he couldn't blame her, after all, hadn't he contemplated the same thing? He wrestled with his dilemma for a while, but still hadn't come to a solution when Susan and Lisa sat in front of him.

"Harry, I – I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." Susan was looking at the ground.

He studied her and Lisa a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Susan, why did you choose to do that? You don't honestly believe you are expendable do you?"

"But what do I do that someone else doesn't already do as good if not better?" Her eyes were locked on his now, no embarrassment showing, just frustration.

He thought about it. "It's not true Susan, you are just as talented as the rest of us, and we simply haven't exploited what you are best at yet."

Susan smiled at him warmly. "No Harry, I'm important, I understand that, but I'm also interchangeable around here. I help a lot, but I don't do anything unique."

Harry was at a loss, he honestly couldn't think of a single thing that Susan was uniquely able to do any better than any of the others. He smiled at her and said simply "Susan, if you can't see what makes you unique, then you are blind to the obvious." He had figured it out finally. "You are able to fill in for anyone. Simply put, if any one of us were unable to continue on with their work, you could fill in for them. See, in your own way, you are unique and a very valuable member of the team."

Susan was a bit shocked by the revelation that what she viewed as a weakness Harry saw for the strength it truly was.


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

_Three days pass quickly when you are terribly busy._ Harry mulled as he and Ginny packed their rucksacks. Her pouch was already packed and on her shoulder. Before leaving the village, Hermione had made a simple one-use portkey to take them back. She activated it, and they appeared in the alley behind the restaurant. They knocked on the back door huddled together in the snow. 

The door opened and Mr. Voorhees let them in. "Why are you in my alley?" he seemed genuinely surprised, and pleased to see them. 

"We have something we need to do tonight, but we wanted to thank you for the food the last time, and ask that we have a place to hide until nightfall." Harry explained the situation to the man who agreed to take them in. 

"You can spend the time in the apartment upstairs. It's empty now, but should be roomy enough. I'll have meals brought up." He handed them a set of keys, and they headed up the stairs into the apartment. 

It was unfurnished, but Ginny and Hermione solved that with a few transfigurations. "That'll do for now." Hermione said they now had several overstuffed chairs and a couch. The two looked pleased with themselves.

They started a fire in the fireplace and waited, going over the plans for that night trying to spot a flaw, nothing presented itself as obvious. 

Several hours after they had arrived, Jason knocked on the door, Justin let him in and they had soup and sandwiches Jason stayed to talk to them for a few minutes and then returned to his duties as a bus boy for the restaurant. 

The sun was setting, and Harry watched as Ginny dispelled the enchantment on the rocks they had turned into furniture. It was time to go, and they filed out of the apartment, locking the door behind them.

They left the keys with Jason, and headed out of town, their cloaks shifting in color and pattern in an attempt to disguise them. It took an hour to reach the ruins, and another forty minutes to find the passage to the hidden section of the castle.

Harry looked around, and seeing no one, they slipped in the doorway, and into the shadows of a dimly lit corridor.

They followed the corridor, Ron consulting his map, and guiding them through turns and passages. They finally reached an area not on the 'official' map. "This is it Harry."

"Ok gents and ladies, let's make some magic then." Harry's face held the stoic look he had while in command. 

They inched towards the door, and waited, listening for a few minutes until they were satisfied that they were unnoticed. Harry smiled and pulled out a handful of coins, jamming them into the door effectively locking the door closed silently. 

Harry motioned them forward and they crept to the next door listening again for a few minutes. This time Harry held up his hand and pointed at the door. They all steadied themselves, and Harry half whispered "_Alohamora_" the door sprung slightly, and he eased it open enough to peek inside. 

Ron mentally shook himself, this sneaking about was nerve-wracking. He much preferred a straight up fight when it came down to it. _Ah well, looks like we are about there._

Harry pushed to door open soundlessly; the four men in the room were occupied going through a small pile of items none of them recognized. Almost as one they selected separate targets and nine red beams struck the four men felling them quietly and effectively. Harry went to the table and saw what they were digging through. Severous Snape's personal effects were strewn about the table. 

Ron noticed the fury in Harry's eyes before the mask slid into place again. Shortly after a slight golden aura began to appear. "Well, so much for stealth." He quipped wryly pointing at Harry.

Hermione chuckled into her sleeve. "Now Harry, this is not really the place for that kind of thing, you know?" Ron was trying to keep a serious face, but failed when Harry looked at him. He was so serious, and suddenly this whole situation was damn funny. 

They searched the bodies, finding several keys on a ring on one of them. Harry took them and examined each one, and then got a faraway look in his eyes. Shortly his eyes refocused on them. "Follow me." He stalked out of the room, no longer caring if he made noise. Ron looked at the door behind them, noticing a faint greenish tinge to it, he shrugged and followed Harry.

Harry lead them past sever other doors and through hallways finally they came to a door he didn't pass. Instead he placed his palms on the door and it disintegrated. Six death eaters were in the room. As soon as the door vanished, a green crystal lattice appeared around them, sealing them into a transparent prison. Ron could see Harry weaken, and urged him silently to draw from them, and then he felt the tug on his, somewhere, and then the drain. The aura surrounding Harry flared briefly, and then settled down again. 

They moved silently to the holding cells, opening them and releasing the prisoners. Most of the staff had survived the captivity. They gathered rapidly, and fled the complex. Once they had some distance between them and the wards, they used the portkey to escape the death eater prison. When they landed in the great hall, Harry addressed the adults. "I believe we need some rest."

Minutes later the Companions were passed out on the great hall floor. Harry woke in his bed several hours later; he noticed Ron was asleep in his bed. He rummaged in his rucksack, and finally realized that his book was missing. He sat with quill and parchment, and recreated the list of names. At three am, he crept out of the castle, and using his wand began carving names into the face of the rock. "_I can hardly lose this._" He finished with the staff missing. It was such a long list.

He had his hands in his hips and was staring at the smooth face. Behind his reflection he saw the face of Albus Dumbledore. "It does well to remember the past Harry, but if you dwell on it, it will eat at you until you are no better than Tom."

"It's not _fair_. Dammit all Dumbledore, it's not fair! I did everything you asked me to do. _I gave up years of my god damned life!_"

Dumbledore placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and turned him to face his mentor. "Now listen good Harry, I'm only going to say this once. You are bound to suffer more losses in this battle. You never _had_ a normal childhood. I actually thought it _kinder_ to allow the quickening, and had considered it several times watching you suffer year after year through school." Harry looked so much like James Dumbledore had to remind himself who was standing in front of him. "Harry," he continued, his voice gentler, the harsh edge gone "Remus gave his life for a good cause. Don't let his name just be another entry in the 'Reasons Potter hates Riddle' tally sheet. You are more than this war Harry, those who are dead now, died because of Voldemort, _not you._ You are not responsible for or to them." 

The blue eyes shown with an intensity Harry had seldom seen. "Think of Sirius, Harry. Have you gone to see him?"

Harry mutely shook his head.

"Go to him, then return to your room and try and get some rest. We adjourn tomorrow afternoon to begin sorting out and planning." Dumbledore left him then. 

Harry walked to the castle steps, and his feet found him outside Sirius's room. He knocked softly, and the door opened immediately. To Harry Sirius looked worse than the old pictures of him from Azkaban. He was haggard, and his eyes sunken. "Harry – You're here." The words tumbled out relief evident.

"I'm sorry Sirius, I – I should have come sooner, but …" 

Sirius put a hand on his arm silencing him. "Don't. That's discussion for another time Harry, now – Let's talk. About small, inconsequential things, and remember Remus, and Minerva and Filtch, and the others in a positive light."

It was seven am when Harry left Sirius's apartments, and made his way to his bed. At noon Ron was shaking him awake. "Come on Harry, Dumbledore's been asking for us all."

Harry put on fresh robes, and followed Ron to Dumbledore's office, and the table waiting for them. They were the last to arrive. 

Harry spoke first, his voice thick with emotion. "I'd like to propose a monument to this–" Harry's voice faltered "this moment. I'd like to convert a portion of the grounds to a graveyard for the victims." He sat his eyes locking on Mr. Diggory. "I'd like to have Cedric relocated here. He was the first Hero to fall."

Diggory's mouth fell open. He found himself unable to speak, and merely nodded his assent.

Several wearisome hours later the meeting broke, and Harry found himself face to face with Diggory. "Ced used to talk about you, you know. How noble of spirit and how pure you were Harry. I couldn't believe it was more than hero-worship, you know, all the kids grew up on your story. But today Harry that was something that Cedric would have been proud of, to be a hero of the school."

"He is a hero. He always will be remembered as such." Harry's eyes burned with a passion for deep within. "No one will _ever_ be forgotten."

Diggory was taken aback by the intensity and looked to Dumbledore. "Albus," he said when Harry and the rest were gone "I've seen that before. He's –"

"Yes, Harry is going to win this war, or he is going to burn up on the power he's channeling." The weariness in Dumbledore's voice was plain. "However, for now, I find a couch has been calling me to take a short nap." He smiled and ushered Diggory out. 

Seated at his desk, Dumbledore idly fingered a quill, and looked up at his door "Come in Harry."

Outside the door Harry had just raised his hand to knock when he heard Dumbledore call him in. He opened the door, noting with regret how old and tired Dumbledore seemed. "I – I'm sorry Professor, now isn't a good time, is it?"

Dumbledore shook his head slowly. "But when would be a good time Harry? I can feel my time coming now stronger than ever, and I honestly don't know how much longer I can put up the fight, or how much longer I even want to anymore."

He placed his chin in his hand. "I assume you've come to discuss something of importance then?"

"Yes, but – We – I can wait." He turned to leave.

"Harry, never put off things that are truly important. Young Ms. Weasley isn't getting any older, but, my dear boy, how long do you expect her to wait?" Harry turned back to Dumbledore to tell him he was wrong. "You gave her a ring, I am sure. Having been in your shoes once before I know what has been going on. So ask what you came here to ask Harry, so I can get some rest."

Harry blushed and with downcast eyes asked "Would you be the officiator at our ceremony Professor? We want a small, quiet ceremony. Just friends; and Ginny's family."

"Ah, then we'll be having a double wedding then." Dumbledore set down the quill he was toying with. "Hermione just asked the same question of me before the meeting. Of course I will Harry." He reached for Harry's hand, and held it firmly in his. "We will talk things over with Arthur and Molly when they arrive tomorrow."

The ceremony was small, yet elegant. The two couples were bonded in what Harry originally thought was a rather plain way. A braided cord was made to interlock their left hands together, and they repeated their vows. Dumbledore then held out their rings. Harry was mildly let down by the plainness of it. Then he slipped on their rings.

There was a sudden jerk, similar to the feeling of being portkeyed, but this was different. Instead of pulling him back, this pulled him towards Ginny. He felt almost as if a piece of him were sundered from him, and flowed into her. As quickly as that happened he felt something warm, yet foreign enter in to him just as quickly. His eyes widened as he realized how deep the bonding between them truly was. 

He had always known marriage in the wizardling world was different, but had no way of knowing how deep the bond went. When his vision cleared he could see Ginny standing before him, pale and surprised. Apparently she hadn't known either.

They turned as one to Dumbledore, "What was _that_?" 

Dumbledore smiled. "You are Companions. You already shared a bond much stronger than marriage, so when you dedicated yourselves to one another, I am afraid this is quite a deep bond. Very strong and very permanent. In future lives you will seek each other out. Yes, this bond will survive even death.

"Sadly, it also means should one of you pass on, the other will feel empty. That piece of them they carry will be hollow. It has driven some mad." The twinkle was gone from his eyes, and Harry detected a tear making its way down the Headmaster's cheek. He heard Dumbledore whisper "Elisabeth…"

Ron looked at Hermione and with determination slid the rings onto their fingers. Harry and Ginny watched as the transformation hit the other couple. The two couples turned to face the assembled family and Companions. Mrs. Weasley was positively beside herself with joy.

From behind them, Harry felt Dumbledore's presence. "And now good friends, we shall feast while the newly wedded couples retire to complete the ritual."

Harry's jaw dropped, and Ginny leaned into his shoulder and whispered. "It's not like it's anything you haven't done before Harry." Her tone was one of mock admonition. "Why Harry Potter, you mean to tell me you don't know what comes next?"

Harry blushing shook his head. "Well you've already done it with me, it's not like it's anything special." The glint in her eye let Harry know that she was just getting wound up. She led him away to their room. Harry noticed the house elves had taken it upon themselves to place decorations in the room. They had used Gryffindor colors interwoven with the Telisin silver and gold.

Ginny turned from Harry and removed her robes, and sat on the edge of the bed. "Come on Harry, I want to get something to eat."

"Ginny, I don't like to hurry things. You know that." His face was growing redder all the time.

"Harry," said her voice carrying that 'don't mess with me' tone, "you know damn well it only takes a moment."

He thought he'd never heard a more insulting way of putting it. Sex had always been tender and intimate between them, now it was more like a rush to get it over with. "What in the hell is going on Ginny?"

"We have to finish the bond Harry."

There was a pounding on the door, Ron's voice drifted through the closed door. "C'mon mate! Hermione and I are done; let's go get something to eat!"

Harry stood there aghast. "What in the bloody hell is going on?"

Ginny smirked. "That, Mr. Potter is what you get for not reading." She came up to him and kissed him. Harry felt the world shatter and reform under him. 

"Wow." _Yeah, wow, that about sums it up._ He thought. "What was _that?_"

Ginny laughed then, "That was the end of the charm. What, you thought we were supposed to have sex?"  
  


"Well, the thought _did_ cross my mind." He tried not to sound disappointed. 

"No Harry. Now in an old ceremony, yes the couple would erm, couple. But today it's a private kiss. Now, later on tonight…" her eyes were molten. "You, Mr. Potter are _mine_."

Harry decided he liked that idea very much. "Well then Mrs. Potter, shall we go eat?"

The dinner and gift exchange went exceptionally well. At the end of the dinner, Dumbledore stood and made an announcement. "Sadly, amidst such joy there must come some sorrow. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny, you need to retire for the night. Tomorrow morning I fear we face Tom Riddle for the last time." Perched on the chair behind Dumbledore was a crow. It swooped down to the middle of the table and dropped a rolled up parchment before taking wing. 

Harry's eyes lifted to Hermione's "Check it."

She drew her wand and muttered an incantation. The parchment glowed with an ugly green. "It's some form of trap Harry." On the front of the parchment was written in blood red ink. 'Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter'. 

"Open it." Hermione's face scrunched up, and then she cast another spell; the parchment unfurled laying flat on the table. Harry looked at the contents of the letter, and then drew his own wand and incinerated the parchment.

"He is coming here tomorrow at dawn." 

"Bloody git." Ron sighed "I hate mornings."

Sirius laughed then, eliciting looks from around the table. He cleared his throat and said simply "The most powerful evil wizard in the world is coming here to kill them, and Ron's only complaint is that it's in the morning?"

Laughter filled the hall then as everyone else caught on to the last Marauder's joke. He watched then as Harry asked for some music, and lead Ginny out in a dance. '_My god, they look so much like James and Lily._'

That night they held each other for hours, willing the sun to never rise again. By three am they slipped into exhausted sleep. 


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

At six there was a knock at the door, and Harry padded over to open it up, and Sirius stood there. "I'm sorry Harry. It's time to go son."

"I'll wake Ginny, we'll be right there." Sirius nodded and went about waking the others.

"Gin?" Harry kissed her and gently shook her shoulder. "Love, it's time to get up and fight the bad guys."

Ginny smiled. "'Fight the bad guys'? Why Harry, you are making light of this."

He positively glowed looking at her. "That's because we are going to win, my dearest wife. He can't possibly have anywhere near the power I have right now. Why I feel as if I could cause the earth to open and swallow him right now and that is simply tapping the very tiniest fraction of my power."

She was positively glowing. Harry jolted back to his senses suddenly. She _was_ glowing. A soft gold aura enveloped her, not nearly as strong as his currently, but it was definite.

They dressed in silence, and took extra care when checking over their equipment. The common room never felt so full to them. Breakfast was on the table, enticing them to eat. During breakfast both Sirius and Dumbledore joined them, taking places that Ron and Hermione gave up for chairs summoned to them.

The Marauder's Map was unfurled on the table, the corners pinned down with marmalade, butter, and a pair of cups. Ron was pointing to the Whomping Willow. "We know they'll have to come on foot, and with the proper exertion of force, we may be able to drive them to hide near the Willow, and that will at least deal with some of the Death Eaters.

"Now, as for Voldemort, Harry has a plan, right mate?"

Harry drew himself up and placed a salt shaker on the table near the Willow. "If Ron's plan works, I want to separate Tom from his followers. I've been thinking, and quite honestly the way I see it, Tom draws his power from his followers in a similar way that I do." Harry waved off the gasps, "no, I said _similar_ not the same. You all freely give the power I tap into; Tom _forces_ his followers to submit to his will. This is consistent with Griswald, correct Professor?"

Dumbledore nodded sagely. "You are correct Harry, I remember it now. It seemed trivial at the time, and we had already managed to whittle his forces down by a vast number when we confronted him. Apparently Tom has learned from his predecessor."

Harry looked at the map. "According to this, Tom has forty-five followers with him. Now several are giants, and have little to no magic to give to him, so –" Harry paused looking at the map counting the dots, "say twenty adult wizards and witches to draw from." He grimaced. 

Dumbledore stood then and looked at them. "The staff will take care of the giants, Harry. _You_ must deal with Tom; you alone have the power to stop him."

A rapping on the door tore their attention from the map. Harry opened the door to see someone bobbing behind the form of Trog. "Yes Trog?"

"'Ary Pott'r 'as an visit'r."

Harry recognized Bill Weasley "Let him in Trog." The troll grunted obligingly and moved aside. Harry was about to talk to Bill and stopped. "Trog, could you come in here please?"

The Troll lumbered into the room behind Bill. "Yeah 'Arry Pott'r?"

"Trog, there is going to be a large battle on the grounds of the school today. I need to know if you intend on fighting with us, or staying out of the way." Harry fixed his eyes on the troll.

Trog hunched down to be more level with Harry and looked him back with a steady gaze. "Trog do what 'Arry Pott'r tells us."

"I would very much like, if you would fight on my side. We are going to be fighting Voldemort and his minions. Some of them are giants." 

Trog nodded "Den 'Arry Pott'r be need'n 'elp?"

"Yes Trog, I need your help. But you need to go into this willingly. I can't command you to fight for me."

Trog stood then. "Trog need git udders ready fer war." He turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"Good lord Harry," Sirius exclaimed "trolls are unpredictable in calm circumstances, but in combat they are just vicious, brutal and unprincipled."

"This isn't a wizard's duel Sirius, This is for the full Monty, and I need all the advantages I can get. The trolls will, if nothing else be our needed force." They returned to the map. Riddle's forces were already moving towards the Quiddich pitch. It was time to go.

They opened the door, and were met by six trolls who were looking menacing. Trog strode forward. "Us's ready 'Arry Pott'r." 

The entered the entry way, and the staff that were able to fight were already assembled. A few quelled at the thought of fighting alongside trolls, but in the end they agreed. The group entered the grounds. The cold air shook off the last vestiges of sleep, as they trod through the light snow to stand opposite the Whomping Willow. In the distance they could see the forces of Tom Riddle advancing on them.

Harry looked out at them, and his breath caught. There were so _many_. He looked around at the men and women standing with him. They seemed old, and tired. He sighed audibly and Dumbledore looked at him smiling his secretive little smile.

"Appearances Harry, are not always the truth." He winked and returned to looking at the advancing host. 

Harry felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to look at Sirius. "Yes?"

"Harry, I'm only going to say this once dear boy. We can grieve for everyone _after_ the fight, don't grieve for those who stand by you today." Harry nodded, and steeled himself. 

Suddenly he felt a wash of power, and pushed out with his mind. He made contact with the advancing forces. With a voice suddenly filled with power and confidence he barely felt, he shouted "**_STOP_**".

To his amazement, they did. "**_You will advance no further onto the lands of Hogwarts._**"

Riddle advanced then, "Who do you think you are, _boy_?"

"Tom, I am giving you one last chance to surrender. If you don't I will consider this a hostile action, and that gives me the right, and power to stop you."

Harry advanced so that he and Riddle were less than a dozen meters from each other. "I am going to offer you a duel Tom. You and I, we settle everything, winner takes all."

"Insolent brat! You think I need to make a deal with you?"

"No, I'm just offering it Tom. Final offer, take it or leave it."

Riddle raised his wand. "I enjoyed killing your father Potter, but watching your mother offer to prostitute herself on your behalf was even better." Whatever reaction riddle was hoping for, the evil smile on Harry's face was not apparently high on the list. 

"I am going to _love_ to kill you Riddle. You have been a torment to me for so long, killing people who were innocent, or simply in your way. Well, here's an object lesson for you Tom." Harry let the power flow, and concentrated on one of the giants. The great mountain started to shake as if in the throws of a fever, and with an awful bellow fell to the ground with an earthshaking **thud**_. _A slight shift to the wind brought the smell of something cooking. 

Riddle's eyes narrowed as he examined the young man in front of him. "Your power is growing young Potter." He raised his wand and pointed it behind Harry. "Now it's time for _your_ object lesson." 

Harry moved so fast the others swore he had Disapparated. One second he was a good eleven meters from Riddle, and the next he was holding Riddle's wand and standing over the prone form of the wand's owner. He held the wand between his hands, and shouted "You will _never_ use this to harm another!" The wand quivered and finally shattered. The core feather erupted into a ball of red flame that Harry then pushed towards the host that came with Riddle. 

Harry looked down at the form laid out in front of him, and narrowed his eyes. "**_Who in the nine hells are you_**?"

The prone figure's face began to bubble, and Harry found himself looking at the form of Crabbe's father. "_Reducto_" he said pointing his wand at the man's throat.

Years later, we still have a hard time piecing together the events of the next half hour. But we do have pieces we put together here:

Harry moved, and avoided several curses thrown at him. He imagined the wall of glass, and pushed it out. The lattice formed instantly, and blocked direct line of sight as Harry returned to his people. He drew on more power, and grinned again. He looked at one of the death eaters and imagined an exhibit he saw in a zoo once. A mosquito from the Jurassic period embedded in amber.  His eyes narrowed, and rapidly a sphere engulfed the death eater. The wall between the two forces faded, and Harry dropped to his knees.

At some point later Harry rose wearily to his feet and saw that the two forces were engaged in a pitched battle. Ginny was standing over him, and had just fed him some potion or another. "That should take care of you for now lover. But we _need_ to move." He allowed himself to be guided to a spot where Ron and Hermione were holding off a group of death eaters and a giant. 

"'Arry Pott'r ok?" came a rumbling voice. Harry focused on Trog's face. 

"Yes Trog, I'm going to be ok, I just used too much magic at once." Harry managed a weak grin.

"Trog gots werk ta do den."

They watched the troll lumber off into the brush, making his way around to behind the giant.

Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and felt a renewed rush of power, and he got to his feet less shaky than before. He kissed her hand and joined the other three at blocking and throwing curses.

            Trog snuck up behind the giant, his club raised over his shoulder in what Harry could only think of an American baseball player's stance. Suddenly they heard a deafening _CRACK!_ As the club made contact with the back of the giant's knee and the giant went down howling in pain and anger. Trog then dove back into the bushes. Harry had to admit, he was very effective at removing the giant from the equation.

            A sudden feeling of sympathy washed over him. The giant is hurt, but not badly, he can't let the creature suffer. 

            Ginny was watching Harry and saw the emotions flitter over his face. "Harry, we can be worried about the wounded _later_." Her eyes fixed with his, and she saw him harden up again, all emotions buried. "That's better." She smiled at him in such a way as he felt his heart melt.

            Was it an hour? A day? Harry was resting against the trunk of a tree. He couldn't remember when he had eaten or dunk last, but he was ravenous, and his thirst almost unbearable. He looked at Ron who was saying something to him he could barely hear. He felt a bottle thrust into his hands and the felt the plastic against his lips. Cool water flooded into his mouth, and Harry's eyes began to refocus. 

            "Harry mate? Bloody hell don't you _ever_ do that again, or I'm going to kick your arse all the way to Ottery St. Catchpole and back, do you hear me?" Worry was written all over his friends face. 

            "Ok, Ron…" Harry gave him a smile, and drank more water. He was trying to remember what he did to upset Ron so much. Quiddich, yes, that's it, they were playing Quiddich. "Ron?" 

            Ron turned to look at his friend. "Yes Harry?"

            "Did I catch the snitch?" Harry's voice wavered at the end and his eyelids threatened to close again. 

            "God Dammit Ginny get _over_ here!" Ron screamed. 

            _Ah, yes Ginny. She's so sweet and kind, I really have to get to know her better this year. _Harry thought as Ginny's face swam into view. _But I mustn't let her know how I feel Voldemort could find out. He'd hurt her to get to me, and I mustn't let her get hurt, not ever._ He felt the warm sensation of unconsciousness flowing up to meet him. _Some rest, I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will want me to rest, and then she'll be on about banning Quidditch…_

            Ginny was finishing healing Sirius's hand when she saw Harry stand up from behind their small wall and another death eater was enveloped in an amber blob. She looked around and counted a dozen such suspended men and women. This time she felt the power suddenly drop as Harry passed out the first time.

"God Dammit Ginny get _over_ here!" Ron screamed.

She picked up her satchel and sprinted over to the position Harry and Ron had been holding. Harry was fading in and out of consciousness. She so wanted to allow him to sleep, but she knew he was their only hope. Dumbledore had been struck by a killing curse a lifetime ago or perhaps only twenty minutes. She didn't know. But by far Harry was the most powerful wizard on their side.

"You fed him the potion?" She looked at the empty bottle in Harry's hands.

"Yeah, and it worked for a second, but then he started mumbling something about catching the snitch. I think he's used too much magic Ginny. I'm worried sick, each time he does that" he waved at one of the amber-trapped death eaters "he gets worse. I don't know if he'll survive another one."

Ginny wiped her hand over he brow, and dug out a vial and forced it between Harry's lips. "I'm sorry dearest, it's the only way." She muttered. 

A second later Harry sat bolt upright and emptied the contents of his stomach on the ground. "My _god_! What _was_ that?" he managed between heaves.

Ron smirked. "Armadillo bile I'd wager. Come on Harry, we have to move mate."

Harry smiled at Ginny. "Not quite the hero they'll write about I'd wager love." Then Harry and Ron bolted for another barrier Harry raised with a flick of his wand. Ginny counted to seven and followed them. 

Harry looked at her. "How's it going Gin?" He was trying to piece the last few hours? Minutes? Together and was failing miserably. 

"We are winning Harry, but only just. You are still our best chance." She kissed him, and then looked up as she heard Cho shout for her. "Have to run. Ta."

"Ok Ron, which one's next?" Harry was already building the power and focusing on the image of the mosquito. 

            Harry rinsed the awful bile taste from his mouth with another bottle of water. "Ugh! You think if she loved me she could give me something _other_ than that." 

            Ron smiled back at Harry, and was about to speak when he heard heavy footsteps heading towards them. His wand came up, and he steeled himself to defend Harry. 

            "'Arry Pott'r." Trog gasped coming into view. "Trog has note." 

            The troll thrust a wad of dirty parchment into Harry's hand.

_Harry,_

_            Come to the castle quickly._

_            Ginny_

            He sighed. The last time he was summoned back to the castle it was because Dumbledore had been killed. He felt out along the lines and counted all nine Companions and himself. _Ok, so it can't be that bad right?_

            "Ron, let's go, Ginny needs us back at the castle." He placed a hand on Trog's wrist. "Thank you Trog, we are going back now."

            Trog grunted and headed back into the brush. 

            They reached the doors and saw now eight bodies on the ground. Ginny was cradling the head of one of them in her lap. Ron felt Harry tense beside him, and he placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. 

            Ginny looked up with tears in her eyes. "He – he didn't suffer Harry."

            Stunned Harry walked forward and placed a hand over the dead eyes of Sirius Black. "I'm so sorry Sirius. Say hello to my mum and dad and Remus." He choked out and tears fell for a minute. "I – I have to go Ginny." 

            They left, and went back to their position. Seven death eaters were in front of them, and Harry stood and shouted his voice echoing. "**_DAMN YOU!_**" The blue fire swept forward, swiftly engulfing the death eaters in a sheet of living flame. They barely had time to scream before they fell.

            Shaking Harry sank back down to the ground. Ron meaningfully handed Harry a bottle of water. "Drink this now or bile later mate."

            Ron and Harry had managed to get back to the castle to check the map. It showed that of the original attackers, most were gone. Riddle was still out there. Harry could see his name. 

            Harry watched as Lisa and Susan made their way down towards the remaining giants. Harry looked and counted only four left. They hadn't been able to get to the Aurors, but by the same token Riddle couldn't leave the grounds, nor could he call for reinforcements.

            He was drinking some juice and eating a cold sandwich when to his horror Riddle blinked and reappeared behind Lisa and Susan. He managed a strangled "No!" and Lisa's dot faded to grey. 

            Suddenly he felt violently ill, and felt a piece of him tear away. Leaving a hollow spot where Lisa had been. Riddle disappeared and reappeared back at his camp. He and Ron stood and ran with Ginny behind them towards where Susan and Lisa had been. 

            Ginny was already rummaging for a potion from her pouch. Lisa was lying on her back, and Susan had collapsed beside her sobbing into the hem of Lisa's robes "Wake up Lisa, come on honey, we have to get you back to Ginny. She can help..." 

            Ginny placed her hands gently on Susan's shoulder and pulled her up. Thrusting the potion on her, Ginny simply said "Drink," and turned to Lisa's body. 

            Harry summoned a stretcher, and Ron helped him place Lisa's body on it. The four made their way to the entry hall. Harry laid the body next to Sirius and Dumbledore. 

            Susan barely made it to the castle before collapsing in a corner and falling into a deep sleep. The eight remaining conscious Companions muttered closely for a while, and Harry moved to Susan with tears in his eyes. 

            "Forgive me Susan, please." He raised his wand to her "_obliviate_". 

A soft wind blew that night, in the distance Harry thought he heard a song bird singing. It seemed so peaceful now. He glanced at his watch, and the time read 9:45 pm. 

A fresh snow was beginning to fall, covering the horror of the day's fight. Seven names had been added to the rock, and seven new graves had been dug. The worst for Harry had been the graves for Sirius Black and Albus Dumbledore. He had demanded that he dig the graves himself. No one even considered stopping him.

He thought back to the final battle at Riddle's stronghold. Remus had worked at leading them out, but just before they made it to the door, they passed by a window. To Harry's horror the light of the full moon blocked Remus from escape. 

The man's pale grey eyes misted, and then his face hardened. "Go, I'll get out if I can. Until then, you'll have me guarding your back." 

Sirius hugged him then. "I'll stay with you." 

"No Sirius, you need to look after Harry." He looked into Sirius's eyes and then the truth of the situation passed between them. Remus intended on giving them all the time his life could buy them. 

They hugged again and Sirius looked back at his friend. "James and Lilly would have been very proud old friend." They then fled. Just as they reached the exit, Harry heard a bone chilling howl from behind them, and the sounds of a great fight. Remus was buying them time.

They fled then, away from the castle Ron was working at getting everyone huddled together, and then activated the portkey. Harry was watching the doorway when he felt the jerk – and then they were in the common room, and he felt so tired…

Harry picked up a stone from the ground and threw it up into the air with all his might. In the distance he heard it strike something solid. He hoped it was Riddle's chunk of amber.

He walked to the lake and felt the hate and disgust welling up like bile in his throat "**_Damn you Riddle!_**" Blue flames raced over the lake almost faster then they eye could see causing steam to suddenly form as the top four centimeters of lake vanished in a cloud of mist. He sank to his knees "Damn you" the tears welled up then, and he felt the remaining Companions. 

They had all felt the death. One moment they had all been whole and powerful, and then one of them vanished, and each one of them felt a tearing, a piece of them vanished.

Lisa Turpin's body was interred next to the site chosen for Cedric. The headstone read:

_Lisa Turpin_

_Friend, Lover, Companion_

_Hero of Hogwarts_

            Susan had been devastated, her friend and lover was dead, and nothing any of them could do would remove the sounds of Lisa dying from her mind. It tore at her for months after the fact.

            At one point she had propositioned Ginny, and showing graces previously unknown in the young woman, they sat in the shade of the trees behind the Burrow and wept for Lisa as Ginny gently but firmly explained she and Harry were together, and nothing would stand between them. 


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

            That summer Harry bought the five houses, and the nine of them made such repairs as they needed, and moved in. They made attempts at careers in the wizarding world over the next few years, but everyone seemed afraid of them, particularly of Harry. 

            The Ministry of Magic sealed their fate one afternoon sending Aurors to 'look after them' as they were 'too valuable to be unguarded'. Harry and Ginny had railed against the Minister of Magic for hours until finally, beaten they left. 

            That night, we were visited by someone none of us expected. My brothers Fred and George arrived as the nine of us gathered to drink some, dance some and eat a lot. We noticed that as time passed our time together was more precious than the piles of gold in our bank vaults in Gringotts. We didn't _need_ to work, see. The Ministry had given us some very nice settlements, but there's only so much you can do before you are driven mad with idleness. 

            We traveled quite a bit those first years, any whim and we were taking muggle transport places to see. I never knew such excitement, and joy being at Harry's side traveling as we felt like, returning home when we wanted to. But, back to the story because that's why I am writing, and you are reading.

            It was now ten years past the defeat of Riddle, and Harry and I were settling down more and more. Ron and Hermione had moved to India for a few years, and were back for one of their infrequent visits. Susan had eventually gotten over Lisa, and had made several attempts at finding a new lover, she was eventually successful with a lovely young lady a few years ago, but they had drifted apart after Celeste had seen the extent of Susan's raw power. Cho and Justin married just after the war was over, and now had four lovely children (two boys two girls) who scampered and played in our little courtyard, coming and going mixing with Dean and Hanna's three boys. Harry and I had discussed children and had planned on one or two. I was pregnant with our first (it was going to be a boy). Everyone was home, and we were enjoying chatting and drinking when Fred and George came over.

            "Well, if it isn't the _World's Most Dangerous_." Fred smirked. 

            "Damnit Fred, that's _not_ funny." Harry glowered at my brother. 

            "No Harry, it's not. For all you nine…" George started.

            Susan spoke then "Ten. There are ten of us."

            George cleared his throat. "Ah, yes. For all you _ten_ have done for our world, you are finding yourselves ostracized by the very people you gave so much to protect. So, I have come to discuss something with you."

            "George. For ten years you have been trying to make us Unspeakables. The answer was no ten years ago, and it remains no. If that's what you are here for, then kindly get the bloody hell out of here." Ron stood facing his brothers. 

            "Now Ron, don't get your knickers in a twist. Sit down and listen for a minute."

            Harry raised his hand to pacify Ron for a minute. "Wait Ron, let's let them talk. _Then _we'll kick them out." He eyed Fred and George warily. "Make it good" and he sat back down and took a sip of his wine.

            Fred sat opposite Harry, and George took up packing behind his brother. "Harry," George began, "there's been some trouble at the Ministry."

            Fred and George were recruited into the Auror program in their last year of school, and moved from there rapidly into the Ministry of Mysteries. Since, the twins had been trying to recruit Harry and the rest of the Companions into becoming Unspeakables themselves. They had refused at every turn, and had made it painfully clear that they would continue to say no.

            "Well, you know we transported the amber encased death eaters and You-Know-Who from the battlefield to protective storage. They have been checked on once a month since they arrived.

            "Last night was the time for the check." his eyes showed he was dead tired. 

            "Voldemort is gone." Fred said finally. "He's just gone."

            "Someone took it perhaps?" Ginny ventured.

            "No, we had more wards on that room than the rest of the damn Ministry has." George answered. "Not a single one of them was touched."

            Harry sat there with his chin in his hands. "So, what do you want us to do?"

            "We want you to track down the body, and return it to us Harry." Fred answered.

            Ron spoke up "It's not our problem. Harry killed him for you all last time, do it yourself. Did you know we can't buy food anywhere but at muggle shops now?"

            George nodded sadly. "We know. You can't get jobs either. If you go into a pub the place goes quiet, and everyone stares. The only place you aren't feared is at the Burrow and a few select other houses. Even mum and dad are feeling the effects of their sons and daughter part of the infamous Companions."

            "There is no need to rehash all this." Ginny physically blocked Harry from the twins "Harry and the rest of us did what we had to do. No more, no less. For gods' sake, one of us was killed, and what did we get? A kangaroo-court trial and a 'don't let the door hit your arse on the way out' handshake from that idiot Bagman?" 

            "You were all found innocent…" Fred said "besides no one who cares believes that you used Dark Magic. There just is no spell like that amber block thing. Hell Harry can't even do it anymore."

            "That's not the god-damned point. We were arrested and hauled in like common criminals. Even if we _did_ use Dark Magic, and we didn't, we spared the agony of living in fear the rest of our lives! How can that even be questioned?"

            "Well, _we_ aren't questioning anything, Dean, I'm just saying that Skeeter has some damn compelling articles questioning if the block of amber spell isn't some kind of suspension, and one day he'll just wake up." 

            Hermione grimaced at the mention of Rita Skeeter, "I should have crushed her." 

            "No, Hermione, then it would have been murder," Harry sighed heavily, his memories of the seven months following the defeat echoed back unbidden. Harry stood and motioned them to the door. "I'll brook no more discussion on this topic. If you want to be social, stay please. But if you are only going to talk about us like we did all those horrible things, you can go now."

            "Harry, please reconsider…" 

            "Get out." Ginny started pushing her brothers out of the house.

            Despite their best efforts to the contrary they started discussing the missing block. By four am they had decided. 

            Harry took a pinch of powder from the mantle place. "Fred Weasley".

            Fred's head managed to appear. "Harry? Bloody hell mate, what time is it?"

            "Four am. Fred, we'll do it. Come by tomorrow morning."

            "Well, technically it _is_ tomorrow morning – but I'll see you all at breakfast. Make extra, George and I'll be there in time to eat." He yawned. "But right now, I need sleep." His head disappeared with a pop.

            Harry turned to the others. The children were all asleep. "So we are settled then? Susan, Ron, Justin, Dean and myself are going, the rest stay?"

            The others nodded their assent. "Ok then, breakfast is at Ron and Hermione's tomorrow."

            They murmured their goodbyes and collected their children and headed to their homes. 

            An hour later Harry and Ginny were talking about the events of the night. "I'm not _that_ far along Harry, I can go along." 

            "I know love, but we are talking with your brother in two hours. I'd rather you were here to help with the kids, and particularly Hermione this could put her over you know." He chuckled.

            "Prat, she's not due for another month." She laid her head on his shoulder. "Be careful Harry."

            "Aren't I always?"

            "Do you really want an answer?"

            "Er, no." he responded flatly.

            "Yeah, I didn't think so." Her eyes fluttered shut of their own accord.

            Harry followed her in moments into sleep. Dreamless and peaceful.

            They awoke at seven am to Ron banging on their door. "Come on get up! Those two prats are in my house eating all the bacon!"

            Harry roused himself and dressed simply in sweats, he considered letting Ginny sleep, but figured she'd kill him if he did. "Wake up love; it's time to go to breakfast." He kissed her softly. 

            Her eyes opened, and she smiled at him. 

            "Ron says that Fred and George are eating all the bacon." 

            Her grin turned to a frown, "If they have, I'm hexing them into next week!" She tossed on clothes and they walked to Ron and Hermione's house. Tables were set up in the back yard, and they found everyone else there.

            Breakfast was mercifully bereft of 'shop talk' and blessedly full of coffee, after a few cups Harry was able to concentrate. He helped Ron break down the tables and stack the chairs in the corner of his porch. The kids were scampering about in the back yard playing with toys. The adults sat under an apple tree enjoying the warm spring day. 

            "Ok, you got our attention last night. Now, what do you want from us?" Harry asked pointedly. 

            "Well, as we said it appears that You-Know-Who…" he was cut off by Ron

            "Around here we use his name. You can say Tom or Voldemort. We don't hide behind this silly 'You-Know-Who' nonsense. I find no reason to be afraid of someone encased in a half ton of amber for the last ten years." Ron stated, as if to prove his point, their oldest Melissa came over, she was barely eight at the time. "Honey, who did Uncle Harry, put in a big block of amber?"

            "Vol, mmm, Voldemort?" she asked tripping up on the word.

            Ron hugged her close. "That's right sweetie. Now you run along and play ok? Daddy and Uncle Fred and George need to talk grown-up stuff." He kissed her forehead and she ran off laughing.

            "That's sick Ron," Fred turned to Hermione "I can't believe you let him do that." 

            Hermione pointedly looked at him. "They have _nothing_ to fear from Tom Riddle or whatever ridiculous name he wants to call himself. He's dead. He's been dead for ten years, and he's going to _stay dead_." The last words were punctuated with a finger in Fred's chest. "Now _you_ two need to grow up and get away from this fantasy that he's going to wake up and take vengeance on the world."

            George opened his briefcase and pulled out a file and dropped it on the ground in front of them. The folder was glaring red and written on it in shimmering gold ink were the words 'Dangerous – Secrets Guarded at Utmost Peril'.

            "Read it." He reached down and opened the folder.

            _Sadness gripped the heart of young Dudley Dursley, returning home from his honeymoon early, as he had lost contact with his parents the day before he was supposed to return home. _

_            Petunia and Vernon Dursley were found expired in their home on Number 4, Privet Drive. The cause of death has yet to be determined by the coroner. The police don't suspect foul play, however a strange bit of art was found in their home that Dudley identified as 'something freakish like his cousin Harry Potter might do.' The authorities are still attempting to contact Mr. Potter._

Harry looked at the photo and recognized it immediately. "Someone did a REAL bad job with the dark mark then?"

            "Harry, the muggle police are looking for you. They think _you_ killed Vernon and Petunia. Though to be blunt my boy, I'd not wager too many were upset with his passing." Fred looked at them. "I assume you all will collaborate that Harry was with you then?"

            They nodded in unison.

            "Well then, no doubt you will all be accessories to the murders." George dropped an envelope on the ground. "The documents in there are perfectly legal. You nine are all to remain here unless given other instructions."

            Harry bolted to his feet "You miserable son of a bitch. I can't believe you'd go this far. We said we'd track down Voldemort for you, what more do you bloody want from us?"

            Fred looked at them. "Sign up, and we'll make sure this disappears."

            "How many of us need to sign and for how long?" Harry's voice was bitter and resentful. 

            "All of you and only until _Tom_ is relocated and returned to his cozy little gem display."

            The twins got up to leave. Harry pulled his wand and stunned them both. "No one and I mean _NO ONE_ tries that pitiful trick on me twice." He cast another spell and ropes bound the two. 

            Ron looked at Harry with one eyebrow raised. "Let's assume for a second that that is not my two obscenely pratty brothers, whom I highly doubt by the way, who do you wager it is?"

            "One of them is no doubt Seamus." Harry nudged the closer of the two. "Wakey wakey."

            While they waited for the two to regain consciousness and their normal forms, Ginny and Harry went over the plans for the next few weeks. New wards would need to be placed, and Harry had a few plans for the Aurors who were placed to make sure they were kept safe.

            Once they had agreed on the plans, Harry bound the two still unconscious people with magical rope and woke them. The two were shocked at first, and then relaxed. 

            "I know my family and friends better than that you morons." Harry said simply, his wand casually pointed at them. "Now start talking before I decide to feed you to some trolls I know."

            Shortly Harry watched as the two transformed into two young men he didn't know. "Now, explain why you were pretending to be Fred and George Weasley."

            The young Aurors started talking, telling Harry that they were told to take the Polyjuice potion and to emulate the twins. 

Harry laughed at this. "You didn't do a very good job you know. Several important things were missing, but that's in the past. Now, where are Fred and George Weasley?"

"We don't know. They were supposed to meet us this morning, but they never arrived."

Ginny's hand fell on the man's face leaving a large red imprint. "So you callous bastards chose to impersonate my brothers, poorly I might add."

The one who had been struck nodded his answer.

Harry looked at his wrist a second and removed his watch. He placed it on the ground in between them, Ron smirked at this. "_Engorgio_" the watch expanded so that all could see the time. "I'll give you 15 minutes. Then I'm going to practice some spells that I haven't done in ten years" he let the threat remain unsaid, the icy coldness in his voice and the no nonsense look in his eyes lent weight to his title as the 'World's Most Dangerous Wizard'

They started talking then, everything they knew. Ron looked to Harry and the look spoke volumes. They knew nothing of importance. "Alright you two" Harry flicked his wand and the ropes binding them vanished "let's go take a look at the place where you are keeping our old friends."

He removed the enchantment on his watch and placed it back on his wrist. Harry looked at the two Aurors. "Susan, Ron, Justin, Dean and I are going with you. The rest are staying to watch over the children. 

"Oh, and a word to the wise," he leaned towards them to emphasize his point "Hermione and Ginny are pregnant and prone to violent outbursts if their _every_ whim isn't satisfied. _Am I making myself clear_?"

Ron coughed a couple times, Harry was sure it was to hide a laugh. "Yes Mr. Potter, we understand." Harry noticed Ginny's hand print was fading, but still very visible on his face. 

"Well then, I assume you have a portkey so you could take us conscious or otherwise?"

The one Ginny hadn't slap nodded sheepishly, and blushed in embarrassment. "Yes Mr. Potter" he withdrew a small box from his inner pocket and produced a pin for each of them. Harry noted that there were only nine pins. 

"What, exactly were you going to do with our children?" A fire burned in is eyes then, and the man withdrew another box filled with muggle suckers.

Ron laughed this time. "You _honestly_ thought our children would take sweets from Fred and George? You are daft."

They pinned on the pins inside their cloaks, and the Aurors showed them how to activate the portkeys. Harry instinctively grabbed the rest of the portkeys and handed them to those remaining behind and handed Ginny the suckers. "Just in case love." Ginny nodded and hugged him.

Harry called the children in and the adults explained that they were going to be gone a few days, but that they would all be back soon. Amidst some tears and fierce hugs, the seven wizards vanished.

They arrived in the apparition point of the Ministry of Magic, and the Aurors instantly regained control of the group. "Come with us then, we'll take you to Seamus…"

"You'll take us to the vault, we'll see Seamus later." Ron cut them off. "Every bloody minute _you_ waste gives whoever took Voldemort that much more time to hide."

The Aurors shrugged and lead the five Companions into the vaults. It took a good fifteen minutes to reach the vault where the twelve death eaters still stood immobile, and unchanged in the last ten years. 

"Funny," Harry said his hand on the nearest block of amber, "we traded immortality for a world of peace, and yet _they_ get to remain ageless."

"Yeah, perhaps Harry" Dean said coming up beside him "but they are dead, and I have a lovely wife and children who aren't afraid of seeing the latest list of names of people who have died. Don't pity them."

Harry tried to forget that these humans were encased in the blocks of amber _he_ had placed them in ten years ago. Ron, Justin and Susan were looking at a patch of floor. "Who comes in here?" Ron asked.

"Uh, no one. Why?"

"Someone was in here and no doubt used a portkey to get Voldemort out." Ron was pointing to a set of tracks leading from the door in the light layer of dust on the ground. 

Susan was examining the footprints carefully. "They were walking mainly on the balls of their feet, to avoid making noise." 

Justin was examining the edges of the spot the amber block had been in "They moved the block a bit, using magic. No doubt a _Wingardium Leviosa_ there's no marks to indicate the stone was forcibly moved." He stared at the marks on the floor, and stood then in the spot where the block had been and turned to where the block would have been facing. 

He pulled out his wand and laid it on his outstretched palm. "Show me" he muttered, and the wand rotated to point behind him. His eyebrow raised and he turned around. "Apparently, Tom was taken that way." The wand quivered ever so slightly but remained fixed. "Er, Harry…" 

Harry walked over to Justin. "What is it mate?"

Justin nodded in the direction of the tip of the wand. "You know what's in that direction?"

Harry shook his head. "No Justin and I don't have time for games."

"Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, Harry, this is pointing to HOME."

Harry gathered all his energy into a single thought _'HOME'_ and disappeared. The Aurors that came with them watched as the impossible happened. Harry Potter had Disapparated through their wards.

What followed in the chambers was utter chaos. Fourteen Aurors appeared shortly running and out of breath. Seamus Finnegan was with them "_What in the bloody hell is going on down here?_" his face was almost purple. Ron noted the last ten years had not been kind to Seamus.

"Harry had to pop home; I do hope you don't mind." He desperately hoped he sounded casual enough to hide the awe he had Harry had simply torn the wards over the Ministry by sheer willpower, no one, not even Dumbledore himself could have done that.

Seamus glared at Ron. "How?"

Ron shrugged unknowingly "How does he do any of this?" his hand gestured at the remaining amber blocks.

"We'll be months, if not years repairing the damage he just created." Finnegan replied sounding highly annoyed, but Ron saw the look of fear cross his face. 

_Yes, Harry certainly is the World's Most Dangerous Wizard._ Ron thought _Now we just need to keep him from doing this again._

Harry appeared in the center of the circle of houses, his legs felt weak, but he forced himself to remain standing. He could hear children squealing and laughing behind Ron and Hermione's house, and he rushed in that direction. He found the children and remaining adults there having tea. 

"Harry?" Ginny rushed over to him "are you ok?"

"I think I did a bad thing…" Harry mumbled and passed out.

Ginny roused Harry a moment later using a favorite technique. "You know," Harry said between heaves "One day you are going to find out that's poisonous." 

Ginny cuffed him on the shoulder "_You_ are the one Disapparating in the middle of the morning looking like you just broke all the wards around Hogwarts, now what did you mean by you doing a bad thing?"

"Well, you are close to the wards thing, but it wasn't Hogwarts…" his voice trailed off as they heard more people Apparating into the cull 'de sac. 

"Harry my lad that was a hell of a feat." Ron was positively shaking with laughter. "I swear Seamus is going to have a coronary, and has demanded that you come back and fix the wards."

"Like hell I will." Harry shot back, "it's his fault if the wards around the Ministry are so weak. He should have a team maintaining them."

"Harry," Hermione asked softly, "how did you break the wards in the Ministry?"

Justin laughed. "Harry Disapparated from the secure vaults to here, shattering every ward and anti-Disapparation blocker they had. Harry had no more than vanished when half the building was physically locked up."

"It's not funny Justin." Cho glared at her husband.

"Oh, but my dear it _is_ you should see that twit Finnegan, if anyone ever looked like he was going to explode, it was him." Justin at this point was holding his sides as if to keep from bursting from the laughter.

"_Potter!_" Roared the unmistakable voice of Seamus Finnegan "_what in the nine hells have you done to my Ministry?_" He charged around the corner of the house stalking like a stuck pig. 

"Why Seamus," Ginny said then "would you like a cup of tea?"

Harry watched the conflict in Seamus's face as he calmed down. "No thank you Mrs. Potter." 

He turned to Harry finger already outstretched. "Why Seamus, it's me, Ginny. We were in the same house, stop being so formal." She laid her hand on Seamus's wrist in a comforting manner, and steered him to a seat. Sitting him down and forcing tea and biscuits on him. 

"Now whatever Harry has done, I am _sure_ he'll put right. _Won't you Harry?_" her tone brooked no leeway.

"Yes, I will." Harry looked downcast.

"Now, Seamus why don't you go back to your busy day, and let us discuss a few things?" she smiled at him charmingly. 

For a moment Seamus blushed and then in a sudden twist said simply. "Yes, yes I must be going, much to do…" and he rushed around the corner and they all heard the pop of him Disapparating.

Ron stifled a giggle "They could send you to Azkaban for that Ginny."

"Oh shut it Ron, it was the only way to get him out of here." The soft golden aura was even now fading from her.

Harry looked up, and Ginny saw the tears in his eyes from him suppressing laughter. "Oh, I should have gotten a picture of that. It's priceless." 

Ginny went over and hugged Harry tight, and whispered in his ear. "If you _ever_ make me do that again, I swear I am going to hex you into next week." This time Harry's face became deadly sober.

"I don't even know how I did it. We were in the basement vaults and Justin had just located the direction that the block had been portkeyed, and it lead to here. All I could think was to get home, and I panicked."

Ron whistled "I'll say mate. But my lovely sister has it right, we have to go back and fix what's left of the Ministry wards. They are damned incompetent if someone can shatter them by Disapparating through."

Harry shook his head. "No, believe me Ron, they were very good. It took every ounce of my willpower to get through them to here."

"Look Harry; Justin, Dean and myself can go set up the wards, you rest for a bit, and join us when you can." Ron said and the three young men strode off.

Ginny lead Harry inside their house, and laid him on the couch. "A quick kip Harry, and then it's off to fix the ministry." She kissed him on the cheek. "We'll be just outside."

Harry drifted off to a deep, dreamless sleep. 

The Ministry of Magic – Ten Years Prior

The nine Companions were sitting in a cell designed to keep dangerous criminals under guard until they could be shipped off to Azkaban. 

The Aurors stood guard over them day and night, not allowing them any privacy or leniency. They tried to rest, tomorrow their trial started. When the couples split into pairs and murmured softly to one another, Susan joined Harry and Ginny, 'S_he seemed agitated even more than the rest of them' _Harry had thought, 'L_ike she's holding back.'_

They had discussed simply breaking out, but the fight had taken so much out of them, they doubted they could overtake a pack of pre-schoolers let alone the twelve fully trained Aurors.

Ludo Bagman had somehow managed to gain the popular count and replaced Fudge as the Minister of Magic, and his first act as Minister was to order the arrest of 'Harry Potter and his gang' as he had put it.

Harry was convinced then, as now that Bagman had something personal against him, something about losing a lot of money wagering on him in the Tri-Wizard Tournament the year before. Harry didn't care, he had a future ahead of him and it didn't include Voldemort. 

The courtroom was filled to overflowing. People were pushing trying to get into the spectator's area, and the Aurors were having a time of trying to control them, finally deciding to exercise the better part of valor, retreated to keep people out of the court area itself.

The court quieted as the judge ascended bench, and the bailiff called the proceedings to order. "This court is assembled to determine the guilt or innocence of Harry James Potter, and the wizards and witches who knowingly and willfully followed him, also known as 'The Companions'." He paused before going on, "the charges include: willful destruction of Hogwarts property, defacing public property, allowing muggles to witness acts of outright magic, willful use of Dark Magic, and treason."

He sat the scroll down. "And anything else we might dig up in the proceedings."  This last was said while he glared at Harry. "How plead you?"

Harry stood up and with an impassive face said "Not guilty." He then sat back down. The courtroom buzzed with hushed whispers.

The judge looked at them, and then turned to the prosecutors. "You may begin…"

Hogsmeade – Present Day

Harry woke up to see Caitlyn, Cho and Justin's eldest shaking his arm. "Uncle Harry, you have to come quick, Mum and Auntie Ginny need something."

Harry rolled off the couch and followed Caitlyn out into the back yard of Justin and Cho's house where they kids were playing on the fort that Ron and Harry had helped Justin build the year Caitlyn was born, Justin had been so sure he'd have a boy that they spent all sorts of time building the fort. Harry and Ron still got lots of mileage out of teasing him about it.

Cho and Ginny were standing under the porch looking up, and Harry went over to them. Ginny was holding a jar up to the roof, and had a large greenish bug trapped. Harry grinned wickedly, "Why Mrs. Potter, what have you there?" He reached for the jar, and using some paper managed to bring the jar down with the bug caught, and sealed the jar.

Ginny snickered and Hermione came out with a platter of lemonade and sandwiches for lunch, calling the children to the picnic tables. The adults came along, and were sitting down when Harry handed the jar to Hermione. "Happy birthday Hermione." 

Hermione's face grew dark and evil. "Oh, this is precious." She stood and brushed off her hands. "You are _never_ going to write again." She stalked off to the house with the glass jar in hand, and returned wearing her cloak. "Who would like to accompany me to Diagon Alley?" 

Harry looked at his watch and kissed Ginny. "I have to go and help re-set the ministry wards, I'll meet you at Flourish and Blots later."

He Disapparated, leaving the rest of the Companions to make their way to Diagon Alley using the portkey they had made. Once in Diagon Alley, they made their way to the Ministry. 

The crowd parted for them, though it was one of nervousness rather than admiration and respect. Hermione was looking positively murderous by the time they reached the Ministry offices. They discussed their needs with the Aurors on duty and Ginny saw Harry and the others working on repairing the wards. Already she could tell that the Ministry offices were by far and beyond the rather substantial protection they had had before Harry tore them open, and now they seemed frighteningly formidable. 

They passed into the Office of Animagi Control, and waited at the counter for a few minutes until a young witch showed up, "May I help you?"

"We have an unregistered animagi, and wish to prosecute." Hermione said simply.

"Do you know the wear-a-bouts of this animagi?" she asked eyeing the jar clutched in Hermione's hands.

"Oh we certainly do." The young witch seemed to suddenly figure out who they were. "Oh, for heaven's sake, _yes_ we are Companions." Hermione seemed to become flustered. "But really, that has _nothing_ to do with this." She thrust the jar out to the witch.

"The animagi is a bug?"

"Yes, none other than that poisonous bitch Rita Skeeter!" Hermione about shrieked.

The young witch's eyes widened and then narrowed and a smile crept over her face. "_That_ is Rita Skeeter?"

Hermione smile in triumph, "Oh yes, and I want her prosecuted as an unregistered animagi."

The young woman smiled at Hermione, "Oh, I'll make certain of it." She took the jar carefully and muttered a spell, the bug glowed a golden hue, and the young woman smiled with glee. "Oh you have been a naughty bug."

She pulled open a drawer and placed a small clipping about a Hogwarts student who suffered a terrible loss as a child. Hermione skimmed over the article, and realized that the young witch in the article was none other than the woman before her. 

**_Hogwarts: 5 Years After the Fall of You-Know-Who_**

_Young Meranda Veriau came to Hogwarts as was her due, at ten, the young woman's mother and father were killed by the rampages of You-Know-Who, and while she was pretty enough, would find that no one wanted her around. _

_Her talents certainly didn't match up with her mother or father, both of who were Aurors in the Ministry of Magic. They were part of the forces that were defending Harry Potter and his gang of merry mayhem makers from harm while they prepared for battle with the Dark Lord._

_One would think that with parents like hers, her OWLS would be more than the barely-pass kind. But that is what she managed, let's hope for her sake that she will get more NEWTS, as it is this humble reporter's belief that she is not nearly pretty enough to land a husband._

There had been more, Rita had written scathing article after article each one meticulous in that she chose the best way to put the student (and Harry and the Companions) in the worst light possible. 

The friends left the office and walked out to watch Harry, Ron, Justin and Dean finish up the job on the wards. 

"Now, see if you can manage to keep those wards in place then." Ron said to the Auror nearest him. 

The Auror glared darkly at Ron, and then seven friends headed to Flourish and Blotts.


	24. chapter 23

Chapter 23

That night after the children were in bed, the adults gathered and began discussing the possible location of the amber block and Riddle's corpse. 

The sun rose in Hogsmeade to find the nine adults still in deep conversation over the whereabouts of Riddle's body. Caitlyn came up to Cho, "Mum, I need you to sign a permission slip, we are going to a muggle science lab today."

Cho smiled at her daughter and read over the slip of paper. Her eyes widened and with shaking hands handed the paper to Harry. "I think I know where Riddle's block went to Harry."

Harry's eyebrows lifted and he read the paper.

_Hogsmead__ School__ Permission form_

_I ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_______________ give permission for my (son/daughter) __________________ to visit a muggle science facility for Elementary Muggle Studies. _

_The facility is the Roslin Institute, Edinburgh, Scotland. This is the famous cloning facility that we have read about in the latest section of our Muggle Studies._

_We will be at the facility from 9am until 4pm, and will be traveling by floo-powder. Please make sure your child is dressed in appropriate muggle clothing._

Harry dropped the note on the table and smiled at Caitlyn. "Caitlyn, would you like Uncle Harry, and Ron to come with you today?"

Caitlyn beamed at them and gave them big hugs. "Yes! Can daddy come too?"

"Of course he can sweetheart, I wouldn't dream of asking him not to. Now go get ready, and we'll walk you to school."

Caitlyn skipped home, happy that her favorite uncles would be coming along to help chaperone the field trip. 

Harry turned to Dean. "Sorry mate, but I have to leave someone here, even though I don't doubt the lovely ladies are able to take care of themselves…" his voice trailed off.

Dean nodded, "I understand Harry. We all do." 

Ron stared blankly at Harry, "What's a clone, mate?"

Hermione tutted, "_Honestly_ Ron, don't you read anything other than Quiddich?" she sighed and continued, "Clones are replicas of the original animal, but you'd have to have a good DNA sample, like blood for example." She paused as if thinking over the lecture, "for example, they were able to extract DNA from a dinosaur from a mosquito embedded in…" her eyes opened wide.

"Amber" Harry finished for her. "That's what I'm afraid of too Hermione. The initial clones were not stable, for example Dolly only lived a few years."

"Dolly?" Ginny asked

Hermione spoke up again, "Dolly was the first known successful clone, a sheep. So you are thinking Harry that the Death Eaters took the body to get blood?"

"No Hermione, I think they already had the sample, but that someone discovered the hole where they extracted the blood from, and I believe that Riddle is already alive and kicking in some form, so they destroyed the block, and are trying to make it appear as if he was risen from the grave so to speak."

Harry ran upstairs and took a long shower, waking himself up and dressed in muggle clothing, and pocketed his wand. He met Ron, Justin and Caitlyn downstairs, and they headed off to the school, weathering the glares and stares from the other parents.

The teacher seemed a bit nervous with the infamous Harry Potter and two of his cronies with him, but she managed to maintain order with her class. Caitlyn was proud of her relationship with the Companions, and didn't care who knew. 

The trip to the Roslin Institute took just a few moments, and soon they were met by a very attractive young woman, and very handsome young man, both of whom had Dr. before their rather unremarkable names. Harry read them, and detected the traces of the Imperious Curse. He attracted the young woman's attention.

"Pardon me Dr, but I have a couple of rather important questions, is there somewhere we can talk?" Ron noticed the woman's eyes glaze over, and detected a faint hint of gold surrounding Harry.

She seemed to melt and barely uttered a "Yes." As she took his proffered arm and lead him away from the crowd. Ron watched amused, and then grinned evilly. _'Oi, Harry, Gin will kill you if she even thinks half what that twit teacher is thinking right now.'_

_'Well Ron, we won't tell her then will we? Or need I bring up the real reason you were late home from the Cannon's game last month?'_

Ron glared in the rough approximation of Harry. _'It's not the same thing at all. We were talking Quidditch.'_

_'But Hermione doesn't know that, now does she?'_

_'Prat.'_

_'Keep your eyes peeled Ron, the good Doctor seems to be an unwilling participant in this mess, they either have or are almost finished with the clone. Now keep sharp mate, this could very well get rough.'_

Ron broke the link and paid attention to the rest of the tour. At the end Harry re-joined them. 

"For lunch, you are all guests of the Institute; please feel free to have anything on the menu in the cafeteria." The young man turned away from them and headed away from them.

"He was like that all day," Ron said as they sat down "He would go on and on and then suddenly stop, like he had forgotten his lines or something, and then start back up again."

Harry stood up, concerned. He moved to where the food was being served, and muttered a quick charm. The food gave a brief poisonous green glow that even the teacher saw. Harry walked to her, fixing a smile on his face. "Mrs. Jenks, I have an idea, a dear friend of mine owns a restaurant just a few miles from here. Let's take the children there, my treat." 

As he said this, Ron watched the glamour overtake the teacher, and she blushed and nodded her assent.

They were outside the Institute, and were walking towards where Harry thought he had seen an inn. The place was appointed well enough, and was fairly large. Another use of the glamour and the manager of the inn could have sworn he and Harry had been mates since forever. 

The children were excited about not only having gone to the Institute, but also about the prospect of eating in the inn, and didn't notice Harry, Ron and Justin ease away from the tables and stand at the front door. 

Mrs. Jenks saw Harry discussing something with his friends, and was trying to move closer to talk to them and ask why they were here rather than in the Institute when she overheard something from them.

"Are you sure Harry?" Ron was asking.

"I cast the spell myself, trust me the food was poisoned." Harry said his face dark with suppressed anger.

"How could they know we were coming then mate?" Justin asked.

"I am not sure they did. I am afraid this is a common misunderstanding. It was easily lunch time and we were the only ones in the cafeteria, that's what tipped me off to the food. A quick spell and I was certain. We'd all be dead now if we would have eaten there. Now we just need to get these kids out of here, and safe.

"I am now certain they have managed to clone Voldemort, and are going to try and pull off this as some failure on my part to exterminate him for good." Harry seemed weary, all of his thirty years, and more weighing on his shoulders. He turned and saw Mrs. Jenks, and motioned her over to them.

"Mrs. Jenks, I'm sorry but I cannot allow you to go back to the Institute. You and the children's lives are in danger. I won't go into details, but I will say this much, you are not allowed to go near that place, and I _will_ use any method I can think of to keep you from going there."

She held up her hand and looked at him curiously. "They said in the papers you were some kind of monster, and I believed them, even though I was one of the students you saved. I can't believe for the last ten years you have been living like you have almost an exile from the very community you fought to protect." Her eyes were starting to shine from unshed tears. "Why didn't you defend yourselves in the trials? Why didn't you tell them the truth about what happened to us?"

"Because Mrs. Jenks, it was not my place to save myself by exposing the humiliation and degradation the death eaters put you through. What were we supposed to say 'Here are the Hufflepuff girls who were whoring themsleves for three weeks'?"

The shame burned her cheeks "It wasn't like that."

"I know it wasn't, but what do you think that cow Skeeter would have written? That would have been the _least_ of the articles. By the end of her 'Informative Expose' you would have been portrayed as having begged for it." His voice was harsh, and the words rang with truth.

Mrs. Jenks shoulders slumped. "It wasn't like that at all. They, they forced us…" 

Harry laid a hand on her shoulder, and she looked up. "I know, I was there. You were all under Imperious, and had no control. No one ever blamed you, and I thought it best to keep everything secret, lest any word ever get out. You had all suffered enough."

She looked at Harry again in the light of this new information, and once again he stood before her, not arrogant, but humble, proud, and with reason, defender of all of them. She saw the hero Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived for the first time since he was taken from them so mysteriously that year at Hogwarts.

She wiped her face dry and favored them with a smile. "I just remembered, there is some work we need to do on a project back at the school. If you gentlemen would excuse us?" She turned to the children and arranged to use the floo to get them back to the school as rapidly as possible.

Ron turned to Harry. "Now what mate?"

Harry sighed, and raised his wand pointing it at the teacher "_Obliviate_". 

She looked quite stunned a moment, and then blinked. "Mr. Potter, what do you think you are doing? I'm taking these children out of here and reporting your antics to the school administration!" 

"Would it have been so bad if someone knew the truth?" Ron asked. "I'm sick and tired of being treated like this."

"Yes Ron, it could be that bad." Harry's voice had an edge of weariness and guilt. "It could be devastating."

They made their way back to the institute under the cover of informing them that the students would not be back. 

"We are going back to India after the child is born Harry, why don't you all come with us?"

"I love England Ron; all the traveling Ginny and I did just confirmed that."

"Yeah so do 'Mione and I, but I can't stand the people. We save them, and they treat us like so much scum. You know they were going to send us to Azkaban don't you?"

"Yes Ron, I knew. Look we go over this all the time. You are as bad as Fred and George, we aren't leaving and that's final."

"Stubborn git."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

Justin just shook his head listening to the two of them chatter on as they made their way back to the Institute.

The building looked deserted to Harry, he saw Ron already reaching for his wand. "Alright, this is just plain wrong. Steady on now, and keep alert."

The main gate for the complex was standing open, almost as if everyone had simply left for the day, and left the gate unlocked. The three young men examined the guard house, it was deserted completely. A cup of cooling coffee sat on a console. Monitors flickered pictures from dozens of cameras, each one showing the same thing; a deserted highly technical complex. 

Harry motioned his friends over while looking at one monitor, this one apparently locked on a single camera. The camera showed the lab where the clones were made, oddly, here they saw people, and these people were wearing robes.

Ron's eyebrow rose. "Oi, Harry, what in the bloody hell are they doing?"

Justin reached tentatively for a knob, and turned. 

"…when the Dark Lord rises, we will use the bodies of the brats to blame this on Potter." Harry's mind reeled as he tried to match the voice with a face.

"My Lord, the muggles say that he should be awake in a half hour or so."

The pretty female doctor walked into view. "Lord Malfoy, the process is almost complete." She knelt before the wizard in the black robes in submission. "Is there _anything_ else you need My Lord?" The tone in her voice lent no question as to the depth of her offer.

"No, leave me." He turned, and paused "did you offer yourself to Potter?"

"Yes Lord, I did as you asked, but he didn't want me."

"Pity, you are truly remarkable once I got past your initial inhibitions." His hand lifted to her face and traced her jawbone, "on the other hand, we do have plenty of time. Leave us."

As his lackey's filed out of the complex, the wizard removed his robes, and Harry saw Draco Malfoy standing in the room, with his servant. Harry's face held an expression of barely masked fury. 

Ron was the first to speak "Well, not only is he unimaginative in the arts of evil, but apparently he's not got much imagination in the sack either."

"How, though?" Justin's face showed the confusion. "Dean killed him, _I was there!_"

"There are a lot of possibilities; I say we go ask Mr. Malfoy how it is that he's still alive." Harry paused looking thoughtful, "well, let us be on our way. We have a lot to do, and little time to complete it."

They jogged to the front doors of the complex, and not surprisingly found them unlocked like everything else. Harry paused with his hand on the door. "This feels so wrong; I don't like this at all."

The two friends looked at Harry and waited for him to complete the inner struggle. "Bloody hell" and he thrust the door open.

The corridors were well lit, as they had been that morning, all that was missing were the people. Folders had been apparently simply dropped on the ground along with pencils and pens. Harry lifted one and flipped through it. The papers were filled with scribbles, and simplistic drawings. The people had been under Imperius too long, but were unable to throw it off. 

He let the papers fall, and continued to the part of the facility the young servant of Malfoy had taken him. They found the large metal door that had been the only real barrier between the administration and laboratory sections of the building. This door however, was very much locked.

"_Alohamora!_" after a second the door made a clicking noise, and shifted slightly, Harry wrenched it open, expecting more resistance from the door than was there, it swung noiselessly open until it impacted with the wall with a terrific 'bang'. 

Ron glared at him, and Harry shrugged "Nothing to do for it now Ron. They knew we were coming anyhow."

Ron snickered, "Speaking of c-"

"Shut it Ron that is _not_ a mental image I need." Harry glowered at his best friend. "Prat."

"Git."

Justin held up his hands. "Alright you two, stop it, you are driving me around the bend here. Can we just concentrate on this task, and then go home please?"

Ron smirked, "Why sure Justin, we'd be happy to oblige you." He bowed formally to Justin and again to Harry. "Please sir, accept my most sincere apology for any injury, real or imagined to your impeccable personage."

Harry attempted to maintain a straight face, "Why certainly dear sir, your slight was hardly worth a notice so minor an infraction."

Justin sighed deeply, "Are you two about done? I'd think you'd be taking this a _bit_ more seriously." Resentment shone in his eyes for their antics.

Harry turned to Justin, his face impassive, a look Justin remembered well from before. "Justin, if I don't joke around with Ron, I am going to build up a magical signature a Muggle could see. Is that what you want?"

Justin was quite taken aback. "I – I didn't know Harry, I'm sorry."

Ron responded quickly. "It's ok Justin; just understand that Harry's power has grown, not reduced over time. He's been hiding it from most people, but some, like Ginny, Hermione and I can see it in him. All those exercises to focus our power are all that keeps Harry from wandering around in a perpetual aura."

"So now what then?" Justin asked of Harry and Ron, "This is the big reason you wouldn't defend us? You let us go into our little exile because you are afraid of your power?"

"No Justin, _I_ am not afraid of it, but the Aurors are. Why do you think we have a twenty four hour 'guard' with us at all times? It's to protect others, not us. They are afraid I'll go mad and destroy everything. If they exile me, they exile all of you as well. So I suffered that inconsiderate bitch Skeeter to paint me out as little more than the next Riddle. I lied to prevent her from finding out about the women who were forced to service the slime Riddle had working for him, and most importantly, I kept my mouth shut so your children, and mine could have something of a normal life."

Justin glared at Harry "You don't have to be the fucking hero all the time Potter. Some of us are capable of making our own decisions. Damn you! You had no right doing this to us over the last ten fucking years! Look at Susan for gods' sake! She's miserable as hell, and not one god damned thing we do makes her happy! What are you going to do for her Harry? What great miracle are you going to pull out of your ass for her?"

Harry's shoulders slumped. "You have no idea what I'd do for Susan; Justin so shut your damn mouth. We'll finish this conversation later."

Justin glared at him, "So now what, you obliviate me so we can go on without my revelation?"

"No Justin, we are going to find Malfoy, and get some answers. Once we have those answers we are going to find their damn clone and then we are taking them all to the Ministry. Then we are gong to go home, and have the children go outside and play while the adults scream at one another like the prats we are. How's that sound to you?" Harry's voice had grown icy cold. 

Justin took a step back from Harry and raised his hands defensively. 

Ron stepped between them. "Alright both of you stop it. Concentrate on the here and now. We'll cross this bridge again later."

They continued through the corridors following the signs on the walls to the main eugenics facility. Shortly they found a room with the door open and the attractive doctor lying on a pile of her clothing, she still seemed dazed. Malfoy was standing over her with his customary sneer on his face. "Sleep well my little whore."

Malfoy turned to leave when he locked gazes with Harry Potter. "Well, if it isn't my old friend. Harry, how _pleasant_ to see you."

"Malfoy, I swear if you as much as twitch wrong I'll kill you."

"You couldn't last time Potter, what makes you so sure you can this time?"

"Because this time Malfoy, I know you are a sadistic bastard, and I changed a lot in the last few years."

"Strange you should say that Harry, so have I. See we found a way to block the unforgivable curses Harry, now that redactor on the people's throat _that_ is a stroke of genius. Well, anyhow the unforgivable curses appear to work, but they are blocked leaving the illusion that they worked. I'm sure you were shocked by my, well, lack of being dead. That idiot Crabbe got the counter curse wrong and he paid for it with his life, I on the other hand got it right, so here I am."

The blonde doctor roused. "My Lord please, I need you again."

Draco sighed melodramatically "You can never please them once I've had them, right Fletchley?"

Justin's face turned red, "What in the hell are you inferring Malfoy?"

"I'm not inferring anything. I _said_ that I shagged your wife."

Justin began to tremble in rage. "You lying bastard. Cho would never touch a filthy Slytherin git like you."

"Oh, of course not Justin," Draco's voice was oily smooth, betraying no emotion "but, why not ask her where she was the night after Potter here killed Diggory?"

"Harry didn't kill Diggory and you god damn well know it Malfoy!" Ron spat the words out. 

"Sure, we all _know _the great, and wise Harry Potter – "

"**_Malfoy, shut your filthy mouth unless I tell you to talk. Justin and Ron calm down; this is between him and I._**" Ron and Justin felt the anger wash away, and realized Harry was glowing brilliantly in his golden aura.

"It's hard keeping that up isn't it Potter?" Malfoy taunted.

"**_I said shut your damn mouth Malfoy_**"

Malfoy appeared to struggle to say something further, but no words came to him. He seemed perplexed, and resorted to an ages old method of communication. He glared at Harry over his raised finger.

"Impressive Malfoy," Ron said smugly "I honestly didn't think you had it in you old boy!" With that statement he slapped Malfoy on the back, causing Draco to stumble forward a step.

"**_Malfoy, where is Riddle?_**" Harry's eyes bore into Draco's.

"Like I'd ever tell you _anything _Potter."

"**_Draco, where is Riddle now? Tell me._**" Harry's voice echoed oddly in the room.

"He – He's behind that door…" Malfoy waved at the door behind him casually. 

Harry turned to the woman "**_You are released from the Imperious Curse._**"

The young doctor blinked a few times, and her eyes flew open wide Harry sensed the volatile change in her as she buckled to the ground and began to heave. 

Harry looked at her with pity and helped her into a robe. "**_You will remember nothing of this experience. It was a movie you saw, a nightmare you had, a book you read._**" 

The woman's eyes glazed over and she again sank down, this time shaking her head. "I – I'm so sorry, I had the oddest feelings. I think I'm going to go home." She rose shakily and headed out into the hallways.

"Impressive Potter, and you didn't use your wand at all, so is that how you got the Weasley whore to…" the last words were choked off by Harry's hand around his throat.

"Don't you _ever_ refer to Ginny. Not in _any_ context, am I making myself clear?" Even without using the glamour, Malfoy seemed stricken by Harry's words, and nodded.

Harry released him. "Now, let's try and be at least a bit civilized about this. Make no mistake Draco, I don't intend on letting you walk out of here anymore than I intend on letting Riddle leave this place, but your cooperation will greatly affect the passing of the end of your life.

"I want to know how you blocked the unforgivable curses. Details Draco, details and while you are at it I want to know _everything_ about Riddle."

Draco Malfoy sat in the room considering his options. His eyes flickered between the three of them and the door he indicted Voldemort would be behind. Suddenly under Harry's glare, Malfoy grabbed his head in both hands and screamed.

Ron watched Harry's face, and saw sweat break out on his brow, veins pulsed in his temples, and the look of concentration on Harry's face was remarkable. Malfoy gasped and slumped back onto the floor, unconscious and pale as death.

"Well, the good news Justin is that Cho didn't sleep with Malfoy." Harry turned shaking to his friends. "The bad news is that while they did clone Riddle, it seems making a copy wasn't enough, they improved on the old design, and it will be free in less than ten minutes."

Justin let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Thanks Harry."

Harry looked at Justin for a minute. "Justin, Cho is a lot of things, that's not one of them. She was a Hufflepuff; loyalty is one of their strong suits."

"Have you ever wondered why we never got a Slytherin?" Justin asked "I mean we had representatives from Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. Why not a Slytherin?"

Harry and Ron exchanged a glance, and Harry turned to Justin. "The only reason I was sorted into Gryffindor Justin, is that I asked the Sorting Hat not to put me in Slytherin, or I _would_ have been in that house."

Justin viewed Harry in a new light. "So you were almost a Slytherin? Well Bob's your uncle…" 

By this time Malfoy had regained consciousness, "So the Great Potter was almost a Slytherin. My, my Potter, you certainly are an enigma aren't you?"

"Shut it Malfoy." Ron glared at him.

"You realize of course Draco, that you were buried." Harry said slowly. "So in effect, this feeling that I should have spared Dean from killing you in the first place can finally be corrected." Harry was twirling the wand in his hand. 

"What do you mean Potter?" Draco's eyes were riveted to Harry's wand.

"It means, according to anyone who matters you are already dead. It also means I can correct a mistake I made ten years ago." He stopped twirling the wand.

"And what mistake was that then?"

"_Reducto_" Harry's wand shot a stream of liquid gold at Draco's throat. "I was going to use the wrong spell, and quite frankly, I let Dean shoulder the burden of guilt alone." The three got up and moved to the door in the back of the room. "I don't suspect we'll meet again Draco."

They let the door swing shut to the last sounds of Draco Malfoy's life. They moved quietly and slowly through the corridor to the lab where a large metal and class coffin was surrounded by a full dozen muggles and death eaters. 

Harry balled up his anger and fear pushing it outwards. The wave of destruction rippled and twisted, blue flames filled the room, and Harry heard the screams from the death eaters. 

"You _really_ need to show me how to do that Harry," Ron said looking at the muggles standing there unharmed. "But what if one of them was latent?"

Harry shrugged. "At this moment in time Ron, I don't really give a damn. Now let's get that bastard before he hatches, or whatever it is they do to these abominations."

Ron glanced at Harry with a curious look on his face. "You think cloning is wrong then mate?"

"The muggles are tinkering with forces even _we_ don't Ron. This whole thing was wrong to do with animals, and it's doubly wrong to do this to a human." His eyes were dark and shining with righteous indignation. 

"Can we have the philosophical revelations held off until we get out of here then?" Justin asked. "You two are impossible, you know that?"

Ron and Harry grinned at one another and nodded. "Of course" Harry said.

"It gives Hermione and Ginny something to complain about." Ron grinned cheekily at Justin and winked. "Otherwise we'd just be perfect."

"Perfect prats if you ask me." Justin muttered as they walked into the room. The muggle scientists were looking around confused as they looked at the small piles of ash at their feet, the only remains of the death eaters.

"Gentlemen, please follow me." Ron said in an overly-loud voice, and motioned them over to a wall. "That's right, shoulder to shoulder." He was directing them to stand against the wall, and pulled out his wand. _Obliviate Ovorour_." The wash over of silver light seemed lost on these people, "now then, we are here from erm…"

"Scotland Yard, Ron." Justin said rolling his eyes.

"Right, but shouldn't we speak with a Scottish accent then?" Ron looked thoroughly confused.

"Oh for Christ's sakes Ron, let me do this." Justin glared at Ron and recast the charm. "We are here from Scotland Yard, and are here tracking down the rumor that an escaped convict is in the vicinity."

"That was _good_ Justin." Ron said 

"My dad works at the Yard." Justin was smiling Ron with a flush of embarrassed pride.

They escorted the scientists out of the lab, and then went back in. Harry looked around. "I don't know what to do about this place."

"What d'you mean Harry? Let's get out of here, and get home." Ron glanced between Harry and Justin.

Justin nodded to Harry. "We have to do something Harry. There is genetic material all over the place."

"Gene-what?"

"Genetic material. If we walk away now, they could easily re-do this, ad we'd be back at square one." Justin explained, seeing confusion he continued, "it's like this Ron, everyone is made up of DNA, this determines who and what we are physically, and it also determines our affinity with magic. While there is a lot of the means of you growing up that is conditional, your family, your living conditions, you know the emotional side of you. 

"Take your family for instance, you and your sister are very similar, because you were so close in age, and played together since forever, the same with Fred and George. But yet look at Charlie and Bill, they are similar, but as different from you and Ginny as Fred and George are similar."

"Well if that were true, Harry would have been like Riddle, an orphaned powerful magician raised in a spiteful muggle world."

Harry cleared his throat. "I had a talk with Dumbledore about that once. He said the difference between us was that while we were both unwanted, Riddle chose power over all of the traits that make us up."

Ron's eyebrows reached for his hairline. "You mean that's the difference between you two, Riddle choose power and you chose to be brave?"

"Well, that about sums it up Ron, though in a highly simplistic manner." Harry nodded to his friend.

"Now, however we need to destroy the last of this research." Justin already had his wand out and was casting a spell. The jet of orange flame splashed against the wall, immediately igniting the material. "That fire can't be put out, and should take care of the complex."

They took a last look around and Disapparated as the flames began to consume the walls of the lobby.

They arrived at the circle of houses, and noticed there were more Aurors than the usual guard. A quick glanced showed two standing at each doorway, and six bearing down on them. "Hold your hands out!" one of the younger Aurors shouted at them. 

With a shrug the trio held their hands out palms facing the advancing Aurors. Harry muttered "I don't like the looks of this, not one single bit."

"Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Justin Finch-Fletchley." The Auror made it a statement, not a question.

"Yes," Harry said to him, "what is going on?"

"We are here to place the Companions under arrest."


End file.
